Superman
Note: This index continues from the Superboy index.
Action Comics No. 403
August 1971
Story: “The Man With the X-Ray Mind” (7 pages)
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Writer: Leo Dorfman (Geoff Browne)
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Murphy Anderson
Feature Character: Superman (last chronological appearance in issue
#393 (2))
Intro: Mr.Lundgren (only appearance)
Villain: Borwin (first appearance; dies in this story)
Synopsis: Superman learns that a Metropolis University janitor has
the psychic powers, including precognition, the ability to predict the
future--and that the janitor knows that he is Clark Kent.
Action Comics No. 404
September 1971
Story: “The Day They Killed Clark Kent” (7 pages)
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Writer: Leo Dorfman (Geoff Browne)
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Murphy Anderson
Feature Character: Superman (next chronological appearance in issue
#408)
Supporting Character: Dave Hammond (first appearance; last chronological
appearance in SUPERMAN #362 (2))
Villains: Stan Rivers (next appears in SUPERMAN #350), Zeta Mu fraternity
(first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent teaches a lesson to a group of fraternity brothers
who like to haze new pledges.
Action Comics No. 408
January 1972
Story: “The Shocking Secret of Super-X” (7 pages)
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Writer: Cary Bates
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Murphy Anderson
Feature Character: Superman (chronologically between issues #404 (2)
and 410 (2))
Supporting Character: Lana Lang (last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN
#366 (2); next chronological appearance in flashback in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #109)
Intro: Prof. Smithers (only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is contaminated with experimental bacteria and must
perform his super-duties for a time in an isolation suit.
Action Comics No. 410
March 1972
Story: “Healing Hands From Beyond” (6 pages)
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Writer: Cary Bates
Penciller: John Calnan
Inker: Murphy Anderson
Feature Character: Superman (last chronological appearance in issue
#408 (2); next chronological appearance in flashback in second story of
next issue)
Intro: Ted, a surgeon, a nurse, and a patient (only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: On spring break from college, Clark Kent is astonished to
see his friend Ted change into an Indian shaman’s outfit, gain magical
powers, and perform a ritual above a hospital that helps steady a Native
American surgeon’s hands.
Superman: The Secret Years No. 1
February 1985
Cover: Superman in flight //Frank Miller (signed)
Story: “Dreams and Schemes and Feeling Proud” (23 pages)
Editor: Julius Schwartz
Writer: Bob Rozakis
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Kurt Schaffenberger
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Feature Character: Superman (last chronological appearance in ACTION
COMICS #411 (2))
Supporting Characters: Mr. Soames (last appearance in NEW ADVENTURES
OF SUPERBOY #38), Tommy Lee (last appearance in SUPERMAN #370 (2)), Ducky
Ginsberg (last appearance in SUPERMAN #370 (2); next appears in issue #4),
William F. “Billy” Cramer (first appearance; full name revealed in issue
#3), Inspector Henderson (last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN #362
(2); next appears in issue #4), Prof. Lewis Lang (last chronological appearance
in SUPERMAN #374 (2); next chronological appearance in ACTION COMICS #298),
Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (both in flashback; last appearance of both
in NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #51; next chronological appearance in flashback
in issue #4)
Intro: Mr. James, Mr. Drysdale (only appearance for both), Fred Cramer,
Alice Cramer
Supporting Character: Steve Power (first chronological appearance)
Villain: Lex Luthor (last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN #161
(1))
Comment: This series takes place during Superman’s junior year in college.
Synopsis: Lex Luthor escapes from the Soames Reform School and makes
a computer theft of $48,000 before Superman captures him. Meanwhile,
Clark Kent gains a new friend, Billy Cramer, who is also from Smallville.
Also, Superman turns up too late to prevent his roommate, Ducky Ginsberg,
from having a drunk-driving accident and shattering his legs.
Superman: The Secret Years No. 2
March 1985
Cover: Superman destroying gun //Frank Miller (signed)
Story: “Reach Out and Touch” (23 pages)
Editor: Julius Schwartz
Writer: Bob Rozakis
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Kurt Schaffenberger
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Dave Hammond (next appears in SUPERMAN #350),
Tommy Lee, Billy Cramer, Steve Power (next chronological appearance
in ACTION COMICS #411 (2)), Mr. Soames (last appearance), Lori Lemaris
(last chronological appearance in ADVENTURE COMICS #280; appears isochronally
with SUPERMAN #129 (3) (flashback))
Cameo: Ducky Ginsberg (in a dream)
Intro: Diane, people of the Bermuda Triangle (only appearance for all)
GA: Mr. Drysdale (last appearance)
Villain: Lex Luthor (next appears in issue #4)
Synopsis: Superman investigates the Bermuda Triangle and discovers
a space-warp that leads to an island where people lost in plane and ship
accidents in the area have created a peaceful existence, and do not wish
to return. Clark Kent meets and begins dating Lori Lemaris, a mysterious
wheelchair-bound beauty. Billy Cramer becomes Clark Kent’s roommate
and friend, and Superman finally reveals his secret identity to him.
Superman: The Secret Years No. 3
April 1985
Cover: Superman stopping train to save little girl //Frank Miller (signed)
Story: “Terminus” (23 pages)
Editor: Julius Schwartz
Writer: Bob Rozakis
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Kurt Schaffenberger
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Billy Cramer (dies in this story), Pete Ross
(last appearance in SUPERMAN #374 (2); next chronological apperance in
flashback in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #55 (1)), Tommy Lee,
Lori Lemaris (appears isochronally with SUPERMAN #129 (3) flashback; next
chronological appearance in SUPERMAN #135 (2))
Intro: Walter Conrad (only appearance)
Synopsis: Pete Ross comes to Metropolis University for a visit, Clark
Kent learns Lori Lemaris is a mermaid just before she returns to Atlantis
(and learns that she knows he is Superman), and Superman, taking care of
an emergency elsewhere, is unable to save his roommate Billy Cramer from
dying in a building fire.
Superman: The Secret Years No. 4
May 1985
Cover: Superman and American eagle //Frank Miller (signed)
Story: “Beyond Terminus” (25 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bob Rozakis
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Kurt Schaffenberger
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Feature Character: Superman (appears in flashbacks in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #55 (1) between pages 21 / 22 and in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #17 (2) between pages 24 / 25; next chronological
appearance in SUPERMAN #133 (2); also appears in flashback, between flashbacks
in issue #1 and SUPERMAN #161 (1))
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #366
(2); appears in flashback in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #17 (2)
between pages 24 / 25; next chronological appearance in SUPERMAN
#133 (2)), Inspector Henderson (next chronological appearance in ACTION
COMICS #442), George Taylor, Jr. (last appearance in SUPERMAN #366 (2);
next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #244), Ducky Ginsberg (last seen
in issue #1; last appearance), Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (in flashback;
between flashback in issue #1 and ACTION COMICS #500, pg. 34, panel 3),
Dr. John Lee, Susie Lee (last appearance for both in SUPERMAN #370 (2);
last appearance for both)
Cameo appearances: Lana Lang, Prof. and Mrs. Lewis Lang, Jonathan Kent,
Martha Kent, Billy Cramer, Pete Ross (as statues), Jor-El, Lara (in a dream)
Intro: LeRose, Vesik, Eiber
Villains: Lex Luthor (last appearance in issue #2; next chronological
appearance in flashback in SUPERMAN #135 (1)), Smedley, Jones, Turner,
and another henchman (first and only appearance for all)
Comment: This story takes place during Superman’s junior and senior
years in college.
The portrayal of Perry White in this issue and in SUPERMAN #362
(2), 365 (2), and 366 (2) as a mere reporter at the Daily Planet at this
time, and of George Taylor as his editor, is a chronicler’s error.
As has been shown in ADVENTURE COMICS #152 and SUPERBOY #63, he has been
the editor of the Planet for several years by now. It is possible
that George Taylor is in actuality the Planet’s publisher at this time,
and later goes to Star City to take over the Daily Star.
Synopsis: While Superman is brooding over his failure to save his parents,
his foster parents, and Billy Cramer, Lex Luthor threatens all life on
Earth unless his old foe meets him in a showdown fight. After Superman
triumphs, and gains new confidence, he goes on to graduate magna cum laude
from Metropolis University as Clark Kent, and to land a reporting job with
the Daily Planet.
Superman’s interim appearances
SUPERMAN #133 (2): Clark Kent gets hired by Perry White.
ACTION COMICS #387, pg. 15, panel 6
ACTION COMICS #500, pg. 39, panel 4-pg. 40, panel 4
ACTION COMICS #500, pg. 41, panels 3-4: Clark Kent gets an apartment
on Clinton Street and builds a secret closet for his Superman and Clark
Kent robots.
SUPERMAN #135 (1): Lois Lane first suspects Clark Kent is Superman.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #53 (1): Lois Lane has an adventure
with Superman and falls in love with him.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #36 (3): Jimmy Olsen comes to Metropolis,
has a time-travel adventure on Krypton, and returns. Superman gets
him a job at the Daily Planet and gives him a secret signal-watch.
SUPERMAN FAMILY #218 (2), pg. 6, panel 2-pg. 7, panel 2: Jimmy Olsen
cracks his first big case, reporting on Big Mike Arnstein and Turk Moraine.
LIMITED COLLECTORS’ EDITION #C-31, pg. 15, panel 2: Clark Kent works
alongside Lois, Jimmy, and Perry.
LIMITED COLLECTORS’ EDITION #C-31, pg. 15, panels 3-4: Superman is
given honorary citizenship in all United Nations member nations.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #123 (3): Jimmy Olsen is waylaid by two
crooks seeking Superman’s secret identity. Later, a professor tries
to hoax him into believing he has created a machine to capture scenes from
the past.
SUPERMAN #46 (3): Clark Kent goes to a class reunion. (NOTE:
This may be a story of Superman of Earth-B.)
SUPERBOY #1: Superman and Lois Lane meet an old friend of Superboy’s.
SUPERBOY #15: Superman goes to another class reunion.
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94 (flashback): Superman, Batman, and Robin
team up for the first time together, though each has met the other two
previously.
SUPERMAN #76: Superman, Batman, and Robin capture John Smilter (see
the Superman-Batman index)
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #5 (3): Superman has several adventures
in flashback, including one battle with Lex Luthor
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #9 (2): Superman has several adventures
in flashback, including battles against the Prankster, the Toyman, and
Lex Luthor.
ACTION COMICS #228: Superman stops Lex Luthor’s sonic-ray weapon and
immobilizes some robot animals.
SUPERMAN #127 (1): Superman has to pretend that Clark Kent is dead,
then has to bring Clark back to “life”.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #35 (1): Superman stays underwater for
a week, bores through the Earth, destroys a glacier, and penetrates a nova
star.
ACTION COMICS #250: Superman falls into a volcano, survives a crook’s
bullets as Clark Kent, and stops a jailbreak.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #37 (1), pg. 6, panels 3-4: Superman destroys
almost all of his Superboy robots.
SUPERMAN #131 (1), pg. 3, panel 6-pg. 4 panel 4: Superman once again
encounters Mr. Mxyzptlk.
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #105, pg. 7, panel 6-pg. 8, panel 1: Superman,
Batman, and Robin have separate battles with the Joker and Lex Luthor.
ACTION COMICS #261: Superman designs and later abandons Fortresses
of Solitude in space and at the center of the Earth.
SUPERMAN #176 (2): Superman creates his permanent Fortress of Solitude
in the Arctic.
ACTION COMICS #395, pg. 1, panels 1-3
ACTION COMICS #409 (2): Superman tests the metal block that will become
the door to the Fortress of Solitude.
ACTION COMICS #395: Superman meets Captain Althera.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #48: Superman helps Jimmy Olsen perform
super-feats in Smallville, catch a band of assassins, save a sub crew,
and rescue a dirigible.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #26 (3): Superman saves Lois Lane
from falling out a window and from gangsters.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #27 (3): Superman saves Lois Lane
from a killer whale and from gangsters.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #30 (2): Superman trains his original
four Superman robots, but one of them, X-3, is smashed on a mission, then
later rebuilt and goes on to create a robot “family”.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #64 (1): Superman saves Jimmy Olsen from
the Iron Colossus.
ACTION COMICS #299: Superman has a misadventure with Robot LL-35.
ACTION COMICS #301: Superman smashes a dark star and catches a falling
baby.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #42 (3): Superman saves an alien
scientist.
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #149: Superman, Batman, and Robin battle crime
androids and have an adventure on Mutation Island.
ACTION COMICS #329: Superman once again encounters John Smatten.
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #156: Superman, Batman, and Robin fight the Joker.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #98 (1): Superman fights a space-dragon
that eats planets and captures the Crazy Caper Gang.
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #173: Superman fights Kralik the Conqueror.
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #115: Superman fights The Puzzler.
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #99: Superman rescues Lois Lane at
the World’s Fair.
Superman No. 78
September-October 1952
Story: “The Girls In Superman’s Life” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in flashback in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #5 (3); next appears in issue #87; also appears as Superboy,
in flashbacks, between ADVENTURE COMICS #179 / 180)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in issue #76; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #71), Lana Lang (last chronological appearance
in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #109; next chronological appearance
in SHOWCASE #9; also appears in flashback, between ADVENTURE COMICS
#179 / 180), Perry White (last chronological appearance in LIMITED COLLECTOR’S
EDITION #C-31; next appears in issue #87)
Intro: Mr. Smith (only appearance)
Villains: “Lens” Lewis and other crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Comment: Sometime after this story, Lana Lang apparently quits her
job at the news syndicate and returns to Metropolis to get a new job, as
shown in SHOWCASE #9.
Synopsis: Lana Lang comes to Metropolis to find work at the Daily Planet.
Perry White hires her, and she begins rooming with Lois Lane. During
her stay, Lana learns of a film that could reveal Superman’s secret identity,
and Lois is determined to keep it away from her, fearing it would jeopardize
Superman’s career. Superman himself manages to film a fake reel and
exchange it for the real reel of film in gangster “Lens” Lewis’s possession,
and then nabs Lewis and his cohorts. Later, Lana is hired by an editor
to write for the Federal Syndicate news service.
Superman No. 87
February 1954
Cover: Superman vs. Thing From 40,000 A. D. (as Superman) while Lois
Lane, photographer, and policeman watch //Win Mortimer
Story: “The Thing From 40,000 A. D.” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (between issues #78 / 90)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in issue #78; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #71), Perry White (between issues #78
/ 90)
Intro: Private Mullins, Dr. Johnson (only appearance for both)
Villain: The Thing from 40,000 A. D. (first appearance; next appears
in DC COMICS PRESENTS #89)
Synopsis: A protoplasmic blob-creature from 40,000 A.D. comes to 20th
Century Metropolis, with the power to take on the characteristics of any
being it imitates, including Superman.
Superman No. 90
July 1954
Cover: Clark Kent imagining Superbaby, Superboy, and Superman //Whitney
Ellsworth
Story: “Superman’s Secret Past” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#71; also appears, in flashback, as Superbaby (see Comment under MORE FUN
COMICS #101 for chronology) and Superboy (between SUPERBOY #34 / ADVENTURE
COMICS #203))
Supporting Characters: Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (in flashback; see
Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Perry White (last appearance
in issue #87)
Intro: Mayor of Smallville (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#8), Prof. Snelling, John Dahl, Will Burris (only appearance for all)
Comment: Superbaby is depicted as wearing a Superman costume in this
story, which is an error. He should be wearing his blue-and-red playsuit.
Dr. Snelling is depicted incorrectly as having bought the old
Kent house. It is possible he is just renting the house (from whom,
we don’t know), since Clark Kent never sold the house.
Sometime after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to save his secret identity from Lois Lane in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #71.
Synopsis: Superman makes a trip back to Smallville for a reunion.
Once there, he discovers to his chagrin that his old home is now occupied
by a Professor Snelling, who may discover the secret cache of memorabilia
set aside by Martha Kent, which will reveal that Clark Kent is Superman.
Superman No. 91
August 1954
Cover: Superman, Perry White, and Waldo Pippin as “Great Caesar’s Ghost”
Story: “The Lazy Man’s Best Friend” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#71)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (of Earth-One; first appearance;
last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #64 (1) flashback;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #195)
Intro: Doc Merlin (only appearance)
Synopsis: A federal agent in disguise dupes Metropolis gangsters with
a claim of having a device that will disrupt Superman’s mental processes.
Story: “Great Caesar’s Ghost” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #195)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #195)
Intro: Waldo Pippin (only appearance)
Villain: Killer Regan (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: To keep Perry White from being fired and to boost the self-confidence
of Planet drama critic Waldo Pippin, Superman has Pippin pose as the ghost
of Julius Caesar, who is “summoned” by Perry’s favorite catch-phrase, “Great
Caesar’s ghost!” “Caesar” says he will haunt Perry until the editor
brings in two sensational scoops, which White does.
Action Comics No. 195
August 1954
Cover: Superman watching Lois Lane tear down a wanted poster //Wayne
Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “Lois Lane--Wanted” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (between SUPERMAN #91 / 92)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #71; next appears in ACTION COMICS #192), Perry White, Jimmy Olsen
(both between SUPERMAN #91 / 92)
Villains: The Tiger Woman and her gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Superman captures a female criminal called the Tiger Woman,
but Lois Lane gets a case of amnesia and comes to believe that she herself
is the Tiger Woman.
Superman No. 92
September 1954
Cover: Superman being beaten by crooks
Story: “The Impossible Headlines” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #195)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #195; both next appear in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#1), Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #195)
Intro: George Earns (only appearance)
Villains: Jigger Benson and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Perry White takes a vacation and is replaced by a sensationalist
editor who prints exciting stories from the teletype, which prove to be
wrong and discredit the Planet.
Story: “Superman’s Sweetheart” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane
Intro: Dora Mill, Prof. Worthington, Eric, Aldine (only appearance
for all)
Villain: Duke Glennon (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: After seeing an 800-year-old picture of himself marrying
an unknown girl, Superman goes back in time to England in the 12th Century
to investigate.
Story: “Superman’s Last Hour” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #1)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #1)
Intro: Dan Delta (only appearance)
Villain: Nails Harrigan and his gang (including Joe), Ace Farago (first
and only appearance for all)
Comment: Superman erroneously claims that he can remain within range
of Kryptonite for a few hours without losing his strength. The Kryptonite
in this story must be of an extremely low grade.
Synopsis: Dan Delta, tough private eye who resembles Superman, is taken
prisoner by gangster Nails Harrigan, who has stolen a large chunk of Kryptonite.
Superman finds Dan and subsitutes for him to get the Kryptonite away from
Harrigan.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 1
September-October 1954
Cover: Superman watching Jimmy Olsen at disguise table //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Boy of 100 Faces” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #92)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #92)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #92),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #92; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #72), Jumbo Jones (first appearance; pilot of the Daily Planet
Flying Newsroom)
Villains: Deuce Dorgan, Marty Watson, Bozo Bane (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen breaks out his disguise kit in order to trap
Deuce Dorgan and recover some stolen jewels, with help from Superman.
Story: “Case of the Lumberjack Jinx” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White
Intro: Otis Burton (only appearance)
Villain: Paul Meredith, his accomplice (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: Jimmy is assigned to pose as a lumberjack to discover the
cause of a “jinx” that is plaguing the Planet’s supplier of wood for paper.
Story: “The Man of Steel’s Substitute” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #197)
GS: Superman (next appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #72)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #72)
Intro: Andrew Carlton (only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight the Heavy Weapons Gang in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #72.
Synopsis: Jimmy must substitute for Superman when some down-and-outers
the Man of Steel helped may lose faith in him.
Action Comics No. 197
October 1954
Cover: Superman, Stanley Stark, his hireling, and four “S” shirts //Al
Plastino
Story: “The Stolen ‘S’ Shirts” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#72; next appears in SUPERMAN #93)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #72)
Intro: Swifty Smith, the Sultan (only appearance for both)
Villains: Stanley Stark and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Stanley Stark gets two crooks to steal Superman’s shirt for
him in an attempt to analyze and duplicate the invulnerable material composing
it. But Superman regains his shirt and nabs Stark and his stooges.
Superman No. 93
November 1954
Cover: Superman flying away from Lois Lane, two crooks, and Alfred
Huntley
Story: “The Super Jobs of Superman” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #197)
Intro: Wilmington Waffle (only appearance)
Villains: Aliens (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A movie producer does a Superman spoof dressed as the Man
of Steel, and the real Superman helps him scare off an alien invasion force.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Double” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#1 / 2)
Villain: The Thinker (first and only appearance; not to be confused
with the Earth-Two Flash villain or the Earth-Two Superman villain who
appears in ACTION COMICS #70), Baby-Face (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: The Thinker kidnaps Jimmy Olsen and replaces him with a criminal
double so that Superman may be deceived by the imposture to their advantage.
Story: “The Man Superman Feared” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #2)
Intro: Alfred Huntley (only appearance)
Synopsis: Philanthropist Alfred Huntley has had a streak of bad luck,
but Superman lifts his spirits and turns him away from a contemplated life
of crime.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 2
November-December 1954
Cover: Superman, flying Jimmy Olsen in costume, and girl aerialist
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Flying Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #93)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #93)
Cameo appearances: Mr. Danning (first and only appearance), Lois Lane
(as characters in Jimmy’s dream)
Synopsis: After handling a specimen of soil from another world, Jimmy
Olsen falls asleep and dreams he has gained the power to fly.
Story: “The Hide and Seek Mystery” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Jumbo Jones
Villains: The Purple Gang (including Slug Martin, Caesar Sykes, Squinty
Ames, Bob Dunn, and Gunner Barton; first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen, Superman, and Jumbo try to solve the mystery
of some missing diamonds.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s Ex-Pal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #198)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #198)
Intro: Tom Barton, Betty, Mr. Todd (only appearance for all)
Villains: Slick Dugan and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Slick Dugan, a gangster, impersonates Superman so that he
and his gang can rob a hotel safe, but Jimmy Olsen detects the impersonation
and helps the real Superman bring in the crooks.
Action Comics No. 198
November 1954
Cover: Superman flying Lois Lane into wax museum of Lois Lanes //Wayne
Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Six Lives of Lois Lane” (11 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #2; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #73)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#73), Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #2)
Intro: A doctor, a witch doctor (only appearance for both)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to battle the Fang in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #73.
Synopsis: Lois Lane loses her mind after seeing Clark Kent change into
Superman and hallucinates she is really Florence Nightingale, Barbara Freitche,
Betsy Ross, Madame Curie, and Queen Isabella. Superman humors her
to keep her from a total crackup and, when she gets back to normal, convinces
her that she actually saw both Superman and Clark in his apartment.
Action Comics No. 199
December 1954
Cover: Superman vs. Phantom Superman //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Phantom Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist:
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#73; next appears in SUPERMAN #94)
Villain: Lex Luthor (last chronological appearance in flashback in
WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #105; next appears in SUPERMAN #101), the Phantom
Superman (first and only appearance), various crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Superman No. 94
January 1955
Cover: Clark Kent and Marybelle walking by Superman charity poster
//Win Mortimer?
Story: “Three Dooms For Metropolis” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #199)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #3)
Intro: The Hermit (only appearance)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A hermit whose home is to be destroyed to make way for a
superhighway predicts disasters in Metropolis that come true.
Story: “The Men Without a World” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #3), Lois Lane, Mayor Manning (first appearance; next appears
in issue #108; last name revealed in issue #110)
Intro: Blanthians, Mr. Cooper (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: A band of super-powered aliens land on Earth with good intentions,
but Superman must find a way to get them to leave.
Story: “Clark Kent’s Hillbilly Bride” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #3)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #3)
Intro: Marybelle and her brothers, Jed Summers (first and only appearance
for all)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent inadvertently carries a hillbilly girl over Marrying
Rock and finds that, by custom, he is betrothed to her.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 3
January-February 1955
Cover: Jimmy Olsen, Superman rescuing boaters, and Alphonse Baker snapping
pictures //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Boy Millionaire” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #94)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #94)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #94;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #200), Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN
#94)
Intro: Agatha Ames, Jarvis (only appearance for both)
Villains: Anthony “Slick” Slade and his gang (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: A wealthy old lady gives Jimmy Olsen $1,000,000 for having
Superman save one of her cats, and a Metropolis gangster plans to cash
in on it.
Story: “The Fastest Gun In the West” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Villains: Gunsmoke Gus and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: In the Old West town of Tumbleweed, Jimmy Olsen gets on the
wrong side of Gunsmoke Gus, the meanest killer around.
Story: “The Man Who Collected Excitement” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #200)
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #200)
Supporting Characters: Jumbo Jones, Perry White (next appears in ACTION
COMICS #200)
Intro: Alphonse Baker (only appearance)
Villain: Sneaky Storch (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen gets in trouble with the police when tip-offs
send him on false alarms, with a “camera fiend” at each location.
Action Comics No. 200
January 1955
Cover: Superman running Indian gantlet //Win Mortimer
Story: “Tests of a Warrior” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #3; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #74)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #3; both next appear in SUPERMAN #95),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #3; next appears
in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #74)
Intro: Chief Hun-Sha and his son (only appearance for both)
Villain: Morwatha (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to help an alien child in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #74.
Synopsis: The son of an Indian chief asks for and receives Superman’s
help in getting his father to pass a series of tests set up by an evil
medicine man.
Superman No. 95
February 1955
Cover: Superman, Poindexter Walls, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen //Wayne
Boring
Story: “The Practical Joker” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#74)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #74; next appears in ACTION COMICS #201), Jimmy Olsen, Perry White
(last appearance for both in ACTION COMICS #200)
Intro: Poindexter Walls (only appearance), Frank Walls (publisher of
the Daily Planet; no appearance; name only mentioned; only appearance)
Villains: A gang of crooks (only appearance)
Synopsis: Poindexter Walls, son of the Daily Planet’s publisher, has
a penchant for practical jokes which gets him in trouble when he impersonates
Clark Kent and falls into the hands of crooks who have marked Kent for
murder.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Super-Reporter” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #201)
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #4), Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #201)
Intro: Tommy Brown, June Evans, Mr. Taylor, Prof. Hornell (only appearance
for all)
Villains: Biff Wilson and his gang, the Redmond Mob, Killer Dugan (first
and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen brags to a copy boy and to a girl from his hometown
about having a “sixth sense” for news, and Superman finds that he has to
make Jimmy’s wild misperceptions about events come true.
Action Comics No. 201
February 1955
Cover: Superman with saber-toothed tiger, Stoneman, Lois Lane, and
cavemen //Al Plastino
Story: “The Challenge of Stoneman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (between SUPERMAN #95 / 96)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (between SUPERMAN #95 / 96), Perry
White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #95; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #4)
Intro: Mr. Bates (only appearance)
Villain: Stoneman (Benny the Brute; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: An inventor’s time machine takes him, Clark Kent, Lois Lane,
Perry White, and a mobster to the distant past, where the crook assumes
the identity of Stoneman and tries to control a tribe of cavemen.
Superman No. 96
March 1955
Cover: Superman and Mr. Mxyzptlk with enchanted fire hose //Wayne Boring
Story: “The Girl Who Didn’t Believe In Superman” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #201)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #201)
Intro: Alice Norton, John Norton, Martha Norton, Myrtle and her mother
(only appearance for all)
Synopsis: When Superman learns that Alice Norton, a blind girl, does
not believe in Superman, he tries and fails to convince her of his existence...until
he operates upon her and restores her sight.
Story: “Mr. Mxyztplk--Mayor of Metropolis” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #202)
Intro: Will Smithers, Hugo Winston (only appearance for both)
Villain: Mr. Mxyzptlk (of Earth-One; first appearance; last chronological
appearance in flashback in issue #131 (1); next appears in ACTION COMICS
#208)
Synopsis: Mr. Mxyzptlk runs for and is elected mayor of Metropolis,
takes on all the city jobs himself, and baffles Superman.
Story: “The Collector of Celebrities” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #4)
Intro: John Griswold, Dan Walton, Austin Carl, Edgar Wilton, Mr. Kelly,
Mr. Alistair (only appearance for all)
Villains: The River Mob (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A “collector of celebrities” forces Superman into an agreement
to perform three “impossible” tasks or live in his house as his “property”
for a year.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 4
March-April 1955
Cover: Superman protecting “King” Jimmy Olsen from assassins //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Disappearance of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer; Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #95)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #96)
Supporting Characters: Jumbo Jones, Perry White (last appearance in
ACTION COMICS #201)
Villains: Joe Cobb and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen heads out on Superman’s trail after the Man of
Steel has gone missing for four days.
Story: “The Hunted Messenger” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #202)
Intro: Bartley (only appearance)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: With Superman away, Jimmy Olsen has to play “keepaway” from
a gang of crooks who want the mysterious parcel he is delivering.
Story: “King For a Day” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #203)
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #202)
Intro: Prince Otho, Princess Teena (only appearance for both)
Villains: Kobla, Zormio, and their agents (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is mistaken for the prince of a European country
when he gets the prince’s ring on his finger and can’t get it off, which
makes him a target for assassination.
Action Comics No. 202
March 1955
Cover: Lois Lane using X-ray vision to watch Clark Kent change into
Superman //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “Lois Lane’s X-Ray Vision” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #4; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #75)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #96),
Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #4; next appears
in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #75)
Villains: Midge Hanlon, Big Rorty (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight the Purple Mask Mob in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #75.
Synopsis: Lois Lane acquires a pair of specially-treated glasses that
give her X-ray vision.
Action Comics No. 203
April 1955
Cover: Superman catching Lois Lane //Al Plastino
Story: “The International Daily Planet” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#75; next appearance in SUPERMAN #97)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN #97), Perry
White (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #75; next appears in SUPERMAN
#97), Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #4; next
appears in SUPERMAN #97)
Intro: Jacques, Charya (only appearance for both)
Villain: Pietro Paresca and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: When Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen are assigned
to foreign offices of the Daily Planet overseas, Superman must save his
two friends from smugglers who have captured them.
Superman No. 97
May 1955
Cover: Lois Lane, Professor Memory, and photos of Superman //Win Mortimer?
Story: “The Amazing Professor Memory” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #203)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #203; both next appear in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#5)
Intro: Professor Memory and his wife, Shorty, Blubber (only appearance
for all)
Villains: Lynx Miller (first appearance; dies in this story), the Boss
and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: When a gangster shows a page of serial numbers to Professor
Memory, a man with a photographic mind, Superman has to impersonate Memory
to save him from other crooks.
Story: “The Big Game Hunt of Metropolis” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#203; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #5)
Intro: Jack Borden (only appearance)
Villains: Dan Wheeler, the Swindle Syndicate (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: The Swindle Syndicate attempts to trap Jimmy Olsen on a “big-game
hunt” at a new kind of zoo, until Superman intervenes.
Story: “Superboy’s Last Day In Smallville” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #5; also appears as Superboy, chronologically between SUPERMAN #161
(1) / 365 (2))
Supporting Character: Lana Lang (in flashback; chronologically between
SUPERMAN #161 (1) / 369 (2) and isochronally with SUPERMAN #365 (2))
GA: Principal of Smallville High School (last appearance)
Villains: Two convicts (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: Even though Superman’s reminescences of his last days in Smallville
are presented here as if it was his “last day” in town, other stories prove
this cannot be true. Jonathan and Martha Kent are shown to have died
during Clark Kent’s summer vacation that year, probably in early June,
shortly after his graduation. The first flashback, of Superboy’s
graduation from high school, takes place in late May (pg. 3, panel 2-pg.
4, panel 1). The later events take place possibly in mid-to-late
June, but it is obvious that, unless Clark Kent moved to Metropolis early
to get oriented in the big city, he remained in Smallville through August
of that year. However, other stories (particularly the “Superman:
The In-Between Years” feature) demonstrate that he was careful not to make
it appear as though Superboy and Clark Kent departed Smallville or arrived
in Metropolis on the same day. It is possible that he left the Kent
house as soon as possible, wishing to put the painful memory of his foster
parents’ deaths behind him. The farewell scene on pages 5 and 6 may
have taken place as late as August.
Synopsis: Clark Kent investigates rumors of a possible breakout at
Metropolis Jail, and overhears a crook claiming he will soon collect a
million dollars because of something Superboy did on his last day in Smallville,
when he is released on the next day. Superman reviews memories of
his last days in Smallville, from his graduation from high school through
his farewell to Lana Lang through Smallville’s letting-go ceremony for
him. Finally, he deduces that the prisoner is referring to bars of gold
which have been painted with lead and disguised as cell doors on the new
prison.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 5
May-June 1955
Cover: Superman and Jimmy Olsen among Superman’s trophies //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Boy Olympics” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #97)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #97)
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #97)
Intro: Tommy Blair, Luke, Miranda, Cal Dawson (only appearance for
all)
Cameo appearance: Lois Lane (on splash panel only, not in story)
Synopsis: To help the newsboys of a failing paper in Metropolis, Jimmy
Olsen enlists Superman’s help in staging a Boy Olympics.
Story: “The Brain of Steel” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #204)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #204),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #97; next appears in ACTION COMICS
#204), Jumbo Jones (last appearance)
Intro: Professor Todd, SCOOP (a computer; only appearance for both)
Synopsis: With Clark Kent and Lois Lane accidentally handcuffed together,
Jimmy Olsen and his colleague Jumbo have to avert disasters in Superman’s
place.
Story: “The Story of Superman’s Souvenirs” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #98)
GS: Superman (appears, in flashback, between SUPERMAN #76 / issue #9
(2) (flashback))
Villains: Typewriter Tate, Otis, Lefty Orton (in flashback; first and
only appearance for all), Lex Luthor (in flashback; between SUPERMAN #161
(1) / issue #9 (2) (flashback)), Killer Burke (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Killer Burke breaks into Jimmy Olsen’s apartment and tries
to force Olsen to tell him which of Superman’s trophies in his collection
will help him escape the police.
Action Comics No. 204
May 1955
Cover: Superman hovering upside down in front of Sam Spulby //Win Mortimer
Story: “The Man Who Could Make Superman Do Anything” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #9 (2) (flashback); next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#76)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #5; both next appear in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #76)
Intro: Sam Spulby (only appearance)
Villains: Slats Peters and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Comment: Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
in a competition between Gotham City and Metropolis in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#76.
Synopsis: Metropolis is baffled when Superman seems to have to obey
the every order of a man called Sam Spulby.
Action Comics No. 205
June 1955
Cover: Superman saving soldiers in artillery range //Al Plastino
Story: “Sergeant Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#76; next appears in SUPERMAN #98)
Intro: Fred Carson, Jim Carson (in flashback; only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Given the rank of sergeant so that he can participate in
Army war games, Superman must solve the mystery of why a private who contantly
botches things must remain in the games.
Superman No. 98
July 1955
Cover: Clark Kent and Lois Lane watching Superman newsreel //Win Mortimer
Story: “Superman’s Secret Life” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #205)
Intro: Ted (only appearance)
Villain: “Rags” Stephens and his gang, Harry Chadwick (first and only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: When bullets bounce off a gangster’s concealed bullet-proof
vest, the crook’s ward is convinced his guardian is Superman.
Story: “Clark Kent Outlaw” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #76; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #6), Lois Lane
(last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #76), Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #5 / 6)
Villain: The Big Guy (Bert), Nippy Martin, Happy, Mike, and other crooks
(first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: In order to trap a gangster, Clark Kent pretends to take
a bribe, is fired from the Daily Planet, and becomes a safecracker.
Story: “The Amazing Superman Newsreel” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #6)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #6)
Synopsis: Superman discovers that a newsreel of his old feats endangers
his secret identity.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 6
July-August 1955
Cover: Superman, Jimmy Olsen with Kryptonite, and crooks //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The King of Magic” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #98)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #98)
Intro: Presto, Hocus (only appearance for both)
Villain: Trikko the Great (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: At a magician’s convention, Jimmy tries to get the goods
on a conjurer who doubles as a swindler.
Story: “Jockey Olsen Rides Star Flash” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #98),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #98; next appears in ACTION COMICS
#206)
Villain: Chuck Thomas (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is scheduled to be a jockey in a horse race on
the Planet’s behalf, but a crooked rival schemes to keep him over regulation
weight.
Story: “100 Pieces of Kryptonite” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #206)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN #99)
Villain: Angles Archibald, various other crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: A hail of Kryptonite meteors showers down on Metropolis,
and Jimmy Olsen helps his old friend recover them, but a scheming criminal
finds a way of hoarding some to use against the Man of Steel.
Action Comics No. 206
July 1955
Cover: Superman carrying off Lois Lane at their wedding //Win Mortimer
Story: “Superman Marries Lois Lane” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #6; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #77)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #6; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #77)
Intro: John Carson (only appearance)
Cameo appearance: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (as characters in Lois’s
dream)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight Professor Pender in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #77.
Synopsis: Lois Lane has a dream of her potential married life with
Superman.
Superman No. 99
August 1955
Cover: Superman watching Lois Lane entering mine //Wayne Boring
Story: “The Camera Club Scoops” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#77)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #77), Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#6; next appears in ACTION COMICS #207)
Intro: The Candid Camera Club (including Charlie; first and only appearance)
Villains: The Midnite Gang (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: While Superman is tracking down the Midnite Gang, amateur
photographers in the Camera Club make life more difficult for him by pulling
crazy stunts to catch a shot of him in action.
Story: “The 1,000 Lives of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane
Intro: Mona Miles (only appearance)
Synopsis: Reporter Mona Miles is even more persistent than Lois Lane
in trying to uncover Superman’s secret identity, so the Man of Steel adopts
multiple secret identities to throw her off track.
Story: “The Incredible Feats of Lois Lane” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #207)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #207)
Intro: Dr. Clayton, Charlie Evans (only appearance for both)
Comment: Lois Lane is convinced from a scientist’s report that she
will die within a week of radiation exposure, and begins performing dangerous
feats in order to get the last scoops of her career.
Action Comics No. 207
August 1955
Cover: Superman and four Superman medals //Win Mortimer
Story: “The Four Superman Medals” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (between SUPERMAN #99 / 100)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (between SUPERMAN #99 / 100), Perry
White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #99; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #7)
Intro: Daredevil Conners, Matt Wilson and his son (all in flashback;
first and only appearance for all)
Villains: The Taylor Brothers, Willy Danvers, various crooks (all in
flashback; first and only appearance for all)
Comment: This story indicates that Superman has been operating in Metropolis
for at least four years.
Synopsis: Superman must find a way of attending the annual policeman’s
dinner, during which a Superman Medal will be presented, both as himself
and as Clark Kent.
Superman No. 100
September 1955
Cover: Superman; covers of SUPERMAN #1, 25, 50, and 75
Story: “The Toy Superman Contest” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #207)
Intro: Tommy, Bob, Harry, a toy manufacturer (only appearance for all)
Villain: Red Anson and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman uses a toy contest based on miniature flying models
of himself to help him bring in a crook.
Story: “Superman--Substitute Teacher” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Intro: Mr. Cranston, Evans and other youths (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: An emergency disguise causes Superman to be mistaken for
Mr. Cranston, a substitute teacher. The Man of Steel takes on the
challenge of substitute teaching, and imparts a valuable lesson to rowdy
students.
Story: “The Clue From Krypton” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #7; also appears, in flashback, as baby Kal-El and Superbaby; see
Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (in
flashback; see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Lois
Lane (between ACTION COMICS #207 / 208)
Villain: Floyd Fowler (first and only appearance)
Comment: A Kryptonian is erroneously shown flying unaided on Krypton
in this story. He should be wearing a flight-belt for this feat.
Synopsis: Floyd Fowler finds a piece of metal from the rocket that
brought Kal-El to Earth, with his fingerprints embedded in it. He
matches the prints to Clark Kent’s, and blackmails Superman with knowledge
of his secret identity.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 7
September 1955
Cover: Jimmy Olsen, Target Kid, and Metropolis youths watching Superman
win marbles tournament //Curt Swan / Ray Burnley?
Story: “The Amazing Mirages” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #100)
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#207)
Intro: Mickey Todd, Hal Otis, Ted Blaine (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Three youths leave home and take off to try their luck at
uranium prospecting, but Jimmy Olsen and Superman show them that the task
is tougher than it seems.
Story: “The Scoop of 1869" (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Intro: Cal Clayton and the Ink Aces club members (only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: To join the Ink Aces club, Jimmy Olsen takes a ride on a
“time carpet” that appears to deposit him back in 1869, where he attempts
to do a reporter’s job without the modern convieniences.
Story: “The King of Marbles” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #208)
Supportig Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #208)
Intro: Target Kid (only appearance)
Villain: Cyrus Colby (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: An unscrupulous marble manufacturer tries to rig a marble-shooting
contest so that his champion will win against Jimmy Olsen.
Action Comics No. 208
September 1955
Cover: Superman with “Namrepus” bust, archaeologist, and invisible
Mr. Mxyzptlk //Al Plastino
Story: “The Magic of Mr. Mxyzptlk” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #7; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #78)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #100;
next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #8), Perry White (between SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #7 / 8)
Villain: Mr. Mxyzptlk (last appearance in SUPERMAN #96; next appears
in SUPERMAN #103)
Comments: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight the Varrel Mob in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #78.
Mr. Mxyzptlk is erroneously described as being from the 8th Dimension,
not the 5th, in this story. It also alleges that Mxyzptlk only stays
in his homeworld for 30 days after saying his name backward, instead of
90.
Synopsis: Mr. Mxyzptlk comes to Earth with a plot to make Superman
and his friends vanish into his dimension by getting them to say their
names backwards.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 8
October 1955
Cover: Superman watching Jimmy Olsen sign fans’ autographs //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Betrayal of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #78)
Intro: Dick Crane (only appearance)
Villain: Bart Gordon (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is honor-bound to take over for a detective chum
on the shamus’s last assignment...discovering the secret identity of Superman.
Story: “Superboy For a Day” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Other Character: Mayor of Smallville (last appearance in SUPERMAN #90;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #211)
Intro: Mr. and Mrs. Peter Crane, Cal Trent, Freddy and his father (only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman and Jimmy Olsen go to Smallville for Superboy Day,
and Jimmy gets the idea of standing in for Superboy in reenactments of
the Boy of Steel’s deeds.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Crooner” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #209)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#208; next appears in SUPERMAN #101), Lois Lane (between ACTION COMICS
#208 / 209)
Villain: Charles Gordon (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: The aftermath of a cold leaves Jimmy Olsen’s voice a little
husky, in just the right tone to make him a singing sensation.
Action Comics No. 209
October 1955
Cover: Superman and “Mister K” //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Man Who Was Mightier Than Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #8; next appears in SUPERMAN #101)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #8; next appears in SUPERMAN #101)
Villains: “Mister K” (unnamed in this story), “Doc” Winters and his
gang, Pete and his accomplice (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A man who appears to have greater powers than Superman appears
in Metropolis, to the Man of Steel’s surprise.
Superman No. 101
November 1955
Cover: Superman with rainbow ring and a glass Lois Lane //Wayne Boring
Story: “Luthor’s Amazing Rebus” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #209)
Villain: Lex Luthor (between ACTION COMICS #199 / 210)
Comment: This is the second time (chronologically) Luthor has used
a rebus for crimes; see ADVENTURE COMICS #292 for the first occasion.
Synopsis: Lex Luthor steals seemingly worthless objects to form a rebus
which he challenges Superman to decode.
Story: “The Meek Man’s Club” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #8)
Intro: The Metropolis Meek Man’s Club (including Wilson and Barker),
Jed Cummings (only appearance for all)
Villains: Bunny DeKay, Little Louie (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: The Metropolis Meek Man’s Club tries to bolster the confidence
of Clark Kent in order to show themselves that their meekness can be overcome.
Story: “The Rainbow Doom” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #210)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (between ACTION COMICS
#209 / 210), Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #210)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman appears to be stricken with a condition that turns
anything or anyone in his proximity into glass.
Action Comics No. 210
November 1955
Cover: Superman balloon over Superman Land //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman In Superman Land” (11 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #101; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #79)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #101;
next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #9), Lois Lane (last appearance
in SUPERMAN #101; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #79)
Cameo appearance: Perry White (as a dummy)
Villain: Lex Luthor (between SUPERMAN #101 / 106)
Comment: Luthor uses synthesized Kryptonite in this story, and refers
to an untold story in which he manufactured it before (unless his teamup
with the Prankster and Toyman in SUPERMAN #88 (3) took place on Earth-One).
Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to meet Aladdin in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #79.
Synopsis: Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, and Lois Lane visit Superman Land,
a Superman-based amusement park, where Lex Luthor has laid a trap for the
Man of Steel.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 9
December 1955
Cover: Jimmy Olsen watching Superman robot catch crooks on viewscreen
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Cub Inventor” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #210)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #79)
Intro: Mr. Hardy (only appearance)
Cameo appearances: Pocahontas, Powhatan, John Smith, Francis Scott
Key, Abraham Lincoln (in flashbacks)
Villains: Ghost Gordon and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen invents a “time radio” which appears to pick
up voices from the past, and a gangster plans on stealing it.
Story: “The Million-Dollar Question” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (also appears in flashback, between flashback in issue
#5 (3) / SUPERMAN #78)
Villains: Lex Luthor (in flashback; last chronological appearance
in flashback in issue #5 (3); next chronological appearance in ACTION COMICS
#199), the Prankster (of Earth-One; Oswald Loomis; first appearance; in
flashback; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #159; real name revealed
in DC COMICS PRESENTS #41), The Toyman (of Earth-One; Winslow P. Schott;
first appearance; in flashback; last chronological appearance in flashback
in ACTION COMICS #561; next appears in SUPERMAN #182), Barton Black, Leonard
“Lefty” Lake, and their confederate (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Gangster Barton Black kidnaps Jimmy Olsen and makes him transmit
true answers to Superman trivia questions so Black’s henchman can win a
fortune on a TV quiz show, but Jimmy passes along a secret clue that tips
Superman to his predicament.
Story: “The Missile of Steel” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #211)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #211)
Intro: A Superman robot (destroyed in this story)
Villains: The Brown Mob (including Blitz Brown; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: While Superman is on a space mission, he leaves a Superman
robot in Jimmy Olsen’s possession to pinch-hit for him.
Action Comics No. 211
December 1955
Cover: Superman in chariot race; Superman lifting Eiffel Tower; Superman
holding up world globe; Superman cutting trees (four vignettes) //Win Mortimer
Story: “The Superman Spectaculars” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Woolfolk
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #9; next appears in SUPERMAN #250 (2))
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN #250 (2)),
Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #79; next appearance
in SUPERMAN #250 (2)), Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#9 / 10)
Intro: Pierre and other photographers, editors of the French, Greek,
Italian, and Dutch editons of the Daily Planet (only appearance for all)
Other Character: Mayor of Smallville (last appearance inSUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #8; last appearance)
Comment: This story takes place on the anniversary of Superbaby’s landing
on Earth and of the founding of the international editions of the Daily
Planet.
Shortly after this story Superman encounters Wolf and Spaniel
in SUPERMAN #250 (2).
Synopsis: Perry White has Superman go to four foreign countries and
do spectacular stunts for photographers there, to be published in those
nations’ editions of the Daily Planet. But none of the pictures are
used in those newspapers. A bewildered Superman goes to Smallville
for a celebration of the anniversary of his landing on Earth. There,
Perry White presents him with the latest international Planet editions,
each of which prints the photos of his deeds on the front page.
Superman No. 102
January 1956
Cover: Superman immobilized by Thurans //Wayne Boring
Story: “Superman For Sale” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in issue #250 (2))
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in issue #250 (2))
Intro: Barclay (only appearance)
GA: Warden of Metropolis Prison
Villains: Henry Drebbin, Edward Jorgens, Paul Quillan, Chip Wilson,
Ace Hyatt, Trigger Hyatt, two convicts (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: To trap the secret leaders of a crime syndicate, Superman
and U.S. Treasury agent Barclay set up a phony “Superman Stock Company”
and lure the crooks into buying stock in it.
Story: “The Midget Menace” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION
COMICS #212)
Villains: The Thurans (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is captured by a race of pygmies from space who
wish to learn the secret of his strength.
Story: “The Million-Dollar Mistake” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #212)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #212)
Intro: Marian Colby (in flashback; only appearance)
Villain: Soapy Martin and his accomplice (first and only appearance
for both)
Synopsis: A con man plans to play upon Superman’s sympathies for the
Daily Planet to net him a cool million.
Action Comics No. 212
January 1956
Cover: Superman making giant snowman; Superman setting off giant skyrocket;
Superman lugging bag of toys for Santa Claus and reindeer; Superman with
giant jack-o’-lantern (four vignettes) //Al Plastino
Story: “The Superman Calendar” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #102; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #80)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #102; both next appear in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #80)
Villains: Thorne Varden and his accomplice (first and only appearance
for both)
Comments: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight the Mole in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #80.
This story also contains a two-page Superman 1956 calendar.
Synopsis: Superman agrees to create scenes for a 1956 Superman Calendar
for charity, but the manufacturer has a hidden clause that may bring him
a huge profit.
Superman No. 103
February 1956
Cover: Superman and Cosmo the Great //Win Mortimer
Story: “The Superman of Yesterday” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#80)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #80)
Intro: Jor-El I (Jor-El II’s father and Superman’s grandfather; in
flashback; next chronological appearance in WORLD OF KRYPTON #1), Jeremy
Bird, Bristol (in flashback; only appearance for both)
Comment: In this story we learn that Superman’s grandfather made a
rocket flight to Earth and back, which undoubtedly inspired his son Jor-El
II’s rocket experiments and may have influenced his decision to send baby
Kal-El to Earth.
Synopsis: Superman goes to a town in North Dakota to investigate the
claim of a man who says that Superman rescued him from Sioux Indians 60
years ago.
Story: “The Revenge of Mr. Mxyzptlk” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz?
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #10), Lois Lane
Villain: Mr. Mxyzptlk (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #208)
Synopsis: Mr. Mxyzptlk is “insured” against vanishing when he says
his name backwards by an unknown factor.
Story: “The Man Who Could Read Superman’s Mind” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #10)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #213)
Intro: The Great Cosmo (Lt. Tom McLain; only appearance)
Villains: Slick Gentry and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Comment: This story is recycled in issue #147.
Synopsis: A man who claims to be able to read minds appears to know
Superman’s secret identity, and offers his services to a gangleader.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 10
February 1956
Cover: Superman, ape, and Jimmy Olsen in leopard skin //Curt Swan /
Stan Kaye
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Martian Pal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #211)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #103)
Supporting Character: Perry White (between SUPERMAN #103 / 104)
Villains: Sparks Sloane and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is convinced that his ham radio is picking up
broadcasts from Mars.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Forgotten Adventure” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Villains: Maestro Mason, Loot Logan, Lefty, other crooks (first and
only appearance for all)
Synopsis: While suffering amnesia from a blow to the head, Jimmy Olsen
investigates a school for criminals.
Story: “Jungle Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #213)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen goes with Clark Kent to Yucatan to search for
a “jungle boy”, and winds up becoming a jungle boy himself.
Action Comics No. 213
February 1956
Cover: Superman watching Lois Lane confront Paul Paxton with Superman
uniform //Al Plastino
Story: “Paul Paxton, Alias Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #10; next appears in SUPERMAN #104)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #10; next appears in SUPERMAN #104), Lois Lane (between SUPERMAN
#103 / 104)
Villains: Paul Paxton, Spades Riker (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: A man named Paul Paxton turns up with several indications
of secretly being Superman, which is news to Clark Kent.
Superman No. 104
March 1956
Cover: Vitor Vall showing Superman on monitor to his family //Al Plastino?
Story: “Lois Lane, Super-Genius” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #213)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #213)
Intro: Dr. Larsen (only appearance)
Cameo appearance: Mr. Mxyzptlk (as a puppet)
Synopsis: A scientist’s ray gives Lois Lane super-intelligence for
a brief time.
Story: “Clark Kent, Jailbird” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Villain: Ed Rowse and his men (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent is lured to the ghost town of Boneville in search
of a lead on criminal Ed Rowse. Instead, he is jailed by the local
cops, who are henchmen of Rowse’s.
Story: “The Super-Family From Outer Space” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #11)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #11)
Intro: Mr. and Mrs. Vitor Vall and their two children, Mr. and Mrs.
Vall (Vitor’s parents), Vitor’s cousin (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A super-family from space comes to Earth, believing that
Superman is their long-lost cousin.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 11
March 1956
Cover: Superman watching Jimmy Olsen get clobbered in boxing match
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s Seeing-Eye Dog” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #104)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #104)
Villain: Red Redding (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: An accident gives Jimmy Olsen temporary X-ray vision. Since
his power would conflict with Superman’s, he becomes Superman’s X-ray “seeing-eye
dog”.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Clark Kent’s Pal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #214)
Villains: Safety Stone and his gang, various crooks (first and only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen ends up rooming with Clark Kent for a time while
his apartment is under repair, and cools down his friendship with Superman
in favor of one with Clark.
Story: “TNT Olsen, the Champ” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #214)
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #214)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #214)
Intro: Gorilla Gordon (only appearance)
Villains: Pugs Orten, Punchy (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A lucky punch makes Jimmy Olsen seem like a major-league
hitter, and a crooked fight promoter soon gets him into a boxing match
which he is certain to lose badly--and net the promoter a hefty sum betting
against Jimmy.
Action Comics No. 214
March 1956
Cover: Superman destroying battleship //Al Plastino
Story: “Superman, Super-Destroyer” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #11; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #81)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#11 / 12), Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for both in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #11; both next appear in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #81)
Intro: Ebenezer Walker (only appearance)
Villains: A race of aliens (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to deal with Ka Thar in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #81.
Synopsis: An eccentric millionaire gets Superman to destroy buildings
and a battleship, which seems wanton destruction to a world which does
not know he is preventing aliens from using them as weapons against Earth.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 12
April 1956
Cover: Superman, Perry White, and invisible Jimmy Olsen //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Prince of Clowns” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #214)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #81)
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #81)
Intro: Joe King, Tad King
Synopsis: When the son of a famous circus clown hurts himself just
before opening time, Jimmy Olsen agrees to take over for him, and gets
a little help in his stunts from Superman.
Story: “The Secret of Dinosaur Island” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Intro: Prof. Willilam March (only appearance), Guardiac (a robot; destroyed
in this story)
Synopsis: Investigating the distant Mystic Isle, Clark Kent and Jimmy
Olsen find it a haven for dinosaurs.
Story: “The Invisible Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #215)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #215),
Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #81; next appears in
ACTION COMICS #215)
Intro: Doc Brane, Freddy (only appearance for both)
Villains: Blacky Blake and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: A scientist’s experiment places Jimmy Olsen in the fourth
dimension, where he is invisible and intangible but can touch things in
the 3rd dimensional world.
Action Comics No. 215
April 1956
Cover: Clark Kent changing into Superman as Craig King changes into
Superman of 2956 //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Superman of Tomorrow”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #12; next appears in SUPERMAN #105)
Intro: Superman of 2956 (Craig King; first and only appearance; see
Comment)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #12; both next appear in SUPERMAN #105)
Intro: Parri Wyte, Lyra Lee, Dr. Dorr (only appearance for all)
Villain: Vinson Vail (first and only appearance)
Comment: No explanation has ever been given for the abscence of a Superman
in the 30th Century. It is probable that, a year after this story
(in 2957), the Legion of Super-Heroes comes into existence, and Superboy
I begins making regular trips to the 30th Century to join them on missions.
Synopsis: Superman is summoned to the 30th Century to help out a synthetically-powered
“Superman” with stopping a series of thefts of scientific equipment.
Superman No. 105
May 1956
Cover: Eldric ordering Superman to uproot tree //Al Plastino
Story: “Superman’s Three Mistakes” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #215;
also appears in flashbacks; see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for
chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (in flashback; see
Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Lois Lane (in flashback)
Cameo appearance: “It” (in flashback)
Intro: James Burns, George Verrel, Mr. Jarvis (only appearance for
all)
Villains: Two crooks (in flashback; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent gets an anonymous letter tellling him to research
his past to find mistakes that gave away his secret identity.
Story: “Mr. Mxyzptlk’s Secret Identity” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz?
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #215; both next appear in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#13)
Intro: Waldemar Hunt, Mr. Amesby (publisher of the Daily Planet), W.
K. Brandon (only appearance for all)
Villain: Mr. Mxyzptlk (next appears in issue #131)
Synopsis: To frustrate Superman from sending him back to his own dimension,
Mr. Mxyzptlk adopts a secret identity.
Story: “Superman, Slave” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #216)
Intro: Lord Wilman (only appearance)
Villain: Eldric (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent is accidentally thrown from an airplane into a
hidden valley ruled by a medaeval tyrant named Eldric. In order to
overthrow him, Superman pretends to be his slave.
Action Comics No. 216
May 1956
Cover: Superman tied up by Kryptonian robot //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Menace of Metropolis” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #105; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #82; also appears in flashback as baby
Kal-El; see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (in flashback; see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Intro: Johnny Broddigan, Cliff Tyler, Z-4 (Jor-El’s robot; first and
only appearance for all)
Comments: In this story, Superman first finds a diary written by his
father, Jor-El.
The means of destroying the Kryptonian weapons in this story
by placing them at the core of the Earth is incorrectly depicted.
Kryptonian metal could even withstand the conditions within Earth’s center.
When this story is reprinted in EIGHTY PAGE GIANT #6, it is revealed that
Superman deactivates the robot and the other machines from Krypton and
that they are enveloped, but not destroyed, at the Earth’s core.
Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
and the Three Musketeers in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #82.
Synopsis: Superman encounters war machines originally built on Krypton
by Jor-El to destroy a prop city and, by example, discourage a Kryptonian
nation from going to war.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 13
June 1956
Cover: Jimmy Olsen seeing Superman hovering upside down //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Six Jimmy Olsens” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Jack Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #82)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #105; both next appear in ACTION COMICS #217)
Intro: Tubby Jimmy Olsen, Slim Jimmy Olsen, Tall Jimmy Olsen, Short
Jimmy Olsen, Goggles Jimmy Olsen (form the Jimmy Olsen Club with “Cub”
Jimmy Olsen; not to be confused with the Jimmy Olsen Fan Club; only appearance
for all)
Villain: Faker Floyd (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Six boys, all named Jimmy Olsen, are bequeathed a mysterious
chest by a “Mr. X”, and challenged to learn what is inside it without forcing
it open.
Story: “The Stolen Superman Signal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Villains: Labs Logan (first appearance; next appears in issue #35),
Barney (first and only appearance)
Comment: This story includes a diagram of Jimmy Olsen’s signal-watch.
Synopsis: Thief Labs Logan deduces the secret of Jimmy Olsen’s signal-watch
and alters it to alert him, and not Superman, when Jimmy is making a pickup
of charity cash.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Super Illusions” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #106)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #217)
Synopsis: Superman makes Jimmy doubt the evidence of his own eyes by
playing tricks on him to convince him the exposure of his secret identity
was just a dream.
Action Comics No. 217
June 1956
Cover: Superman and “Super-Baby” //Al Plastino
Story: “The Amazing Super-Baby” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #13; next appears in SUPERMAN #106)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance of both
in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #13; both next appear in SUPERMAN #106)
Intro: “Super-Baby” (Baby Bliss), Mr. and Mrs. Roger Bliss, Sir Roderick
Blakesly (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Clark Kent becomes the guardian of a “super-baby” with powers
approximating his own.
Superman No. 106
July 1956
Cover: Superman vs. Lex Luthor //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s First Exploit” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #217;
also appears, in flashback, as baby Kal-El, Superbaby (see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology) and as Superman (see Comment at end
of Superboy index for chronology))
Supporting Characters: Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent (in flashback; see
Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Perry White,
Lois Lane (last appearance for both in ACTION COMICS #217)
Intro: Barney Biggins (in flashback), Dr. Reese Kearns (only appearance
for both)
Synopsis: Dr. Reese Kearns, once discredited for panicking Metropolis
with a meteor “hoax”, gets the Daily Planet to run a contest in search
of Superman’s earliest super-feat. When pressed for the answer, Superman
uses his super-memory to recall an incident in which, as baby Kal-El, he
briefly emerged from Jor-El’s rocket, fought a crystalline insect on a
meteor, and then pushed off from the meteor to return to his rocket. The
push-off sent the meteor off course and caused it to miss Metropolis, thus
invalidating Kearns’s claim. With that revelation, which Kearns had
suspected, his reputation is repaired.
Story: “The Thefts of Clark Kent” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #13), Lois Lane, Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS
#218)
Intro: Dr. Thomas Jones (deceased before this story begins)
Villain: Bullets Barton (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent steals four meteors which are actually Kryptonite
coated with lead from a strange space cloud. Later, Superman clears
Clark Kent’s name.
Story: “The Super-Outlaw of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #218)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION
COMICS #218)
Villains: Lex Luthor (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #210; next appears
in issue #110) and his gang (first and only apperance)
Synopsis: Lex Luthor creates an alloy that picks up energy Superman
uses in his super-feats and transmits it to a suit of electronic armor
he has invented. The suit gives Luthor all of Superman’s powers,
but Superman defeats him by exposing himself to Kryptonite, which also
transmits weakness to Luthor’s suit.
Action Comics No. 218
July 1956
Cover: Superman watching Super-Ape break out of zoo cage //Wayne Boring
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Ape From Krypton”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #106; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #83)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El (in flashback; see Comment under MORE
FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Perry White, Lois Lane (both between SUPERMAN
#106 / 107)
Intro: Shir Kan (in flashback; a Kryptonian scientist; dies in this
story), Super-Ape (only appearance; a Kryptonian gorilla)
Villains: John Trask, Paul Spender (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to solve the Mother Goose Mystery in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #83 and to help
Batman preserve his secret identity in BATMAN #101.
Synopsis: Clark Kent and Lois Lane go to Africa to investigate the
claims of the existence of a “Super-Ape”.
Superman No. 107
August 1956
Cover: Future men viewing sleeping Superman //Wayne Boring
Story: “The Make-Believe Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in BATMAN #101)
Intro: Hal Hannon (only appearance)
Villains: Joe, Vince, and their boss (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Superman takes the place of an actor who masquerades as him
to lure a crime boss into the open.
Story: “The Impossible Haircut” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Wrtier:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #218)
Intro: Antoine, Senator Wells (only appearance for both)
Villains: Dandy Jim and his gang (in flashback; only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Lois Lane and Clark Kent interview a master barber who claims
to have cut a lock of Superman’s hair.
Story: “Rip Van Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #14)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#218; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #14), Lois Lane, Jimmy
Olsen (both next appear in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #14)
Intro: Yaddo, Kylle (only apperance for both)
Villain: Drago and his gang (first and only apperance for all)
Comment: It is obvious that the 30th Century Superman visits in this
story cannot be the same one as the Legion of Super-Heroes inhabits (and
in which, perhaps, Craig King briefly became Superman of 2956) because
of the super-powers each normal human possesses in this story. It
is possible that this is the same future time-line that Superman visits
again in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #28, where people possess similar
powers. At any rate, his return to the 20th Century does cause a
divergent time line.
It is also possible that Superman’s entire “future visit” is
just a dream.
Synopsis: A cyclotron accident in which Kryptonite is involved puts
Superman in a coma. He is placed in a tomb, and sleeps until the
30th Century. Upon awakening, he learns that “vitamins and hormones”
have given all Earth people powers similar to his own. But the people
of Earth are overly-dependent on robots to do their work, and fall prey
to a villain named Drago. Superman rallies the people of the 30th
Century to defeat Drago. As repayment, two men of that time send
Superman back to his normal era with an experimental time machine.
He awakens in his glass tomb only minutes after he had been placed in it.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 14
August 1956
Cover: Jimmy Olsen in Superman uniform, hillbillies, and bear //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Feats of Chief Super-Duper” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #107)
GS: Superman (last apperance in SUPERMAN #107)
Intro: The Ravenfoot tribe, the Black Tomahawks (only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: To solve the mystery of Jimmy Olsen’s face appearing on an
ancient totem pole, Superman takes Jimmy back to the days of the Old West,
where he becomes Chief Super-Duper to the Ravenfoot tribe.
Story: “The Meek Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Intro: An inventor, the Metropolis Bears (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman must convince Jimmy Olsen that a scientist’s device
has exchanged his personality with that of Clark Kent.
Story: “The Boy Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #219)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #107; both next appear in ACTION COMICS #219)
Intro: The mayor, Petunia, Moose Morton, and other inhabitants of Hogfoot
Hollow (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: After Clark Kent is forced to hide his Superman costume in
the Daily Planet’s Flying Newsroom helicopter, Jimmy Olsen is sent out
in the chopper on assignment and is forced down by adverse weather in the
mountains. He finds the Superman costume and dons it to protect himself
from the cold...and walks into a community of hillbillies who are convinced
that he is the real Superman.
Action Comics No. 219
August 1956
Cover: Lois Lane watching Superman hoard treasure //Wayne Boring /
Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s Treasure Hoard”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #14; next appears in SUPERMAN #108)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #14; both next appear in SUPERMAN #108)
Intro: Dr. Vardin (only appearance)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is accumulating incredible wealth in a cavern of
his own making, but no one seems to know the reason why.
Superman No. 108
September 1956
Cover: Clark Kent changing to Superman in cell with three Metropolis
policewomen nearby //Al Plastino
Story: “The Brain From the Future” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #219)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #219), Mayor Manning (between issues #94 / 110)
Villains: Freddy Deems, Professor Martin, various prisoners (first
and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A computer from space lands in Metropolis and predicts that
unless Superman reveals his secret identity, the city is doomed.
Story: “Perry White, Jr., Demon Reporter” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #15), Lois Lane, Perry White, Jr. (first appearance; next appears
in ACTION COMICS #461)
Villain: Mr. Wheels and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Perry White, Jr., fresh out of college and interning at the
Daily Planet, thinks that Clark Kent may be Mr. Wheels, engineer genius
of crimedom, but Superman teaches him a few lessons he couldn’t learn at
school.
Story: “The Girl Cops of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #15)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #15)
Intro: Sgt. Kirk and other policewomen (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A group of Metropolis policewomen decide to see if Superman
and Clark Kent are one and the same.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 15
September 1956
Cover: Superman watching Jimmy Olsen ride bicycle at super-speed //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Mystery of the Canine Champ” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #108)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #108)
Intro: Cal Crane, Rollo (a dog; only appearance for both)
Villains: Paul Orton, King (five dogs; first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is assigned to cover a pet show and begins to
investigate the mystery of a camera-shy dog star.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Speed Demon” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Chracter: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #84), Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #220)
Intro: Professor Claude (only appearance)
Villain: Diamond Dirk and other crooks (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: When Jimmy Olsen drinks a formula that gives him temporary
super-speed, it causes many problems for himself and for his pal, Superman.
Story: “Unwanted Superman Souvenirs” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #220)
Intro: A crystalline brain (only appearance)
Villain: Slippery Sam (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is hurt and bewildered when Jimmy Olsen begins discarding
his Superman souvenirs, until he learns that it is a plea for help from
an alien creature.
Action Comics No. 220
September 1956
Cover: Superman and other contestants in the Interplanetary Olympics
//Al Plastino
Story: “The Interplanetary Olympics” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #15; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #84)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #15; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #84)
Intro: Varal, Sharn, Thonians (only appearance for all)
Villain: Bronno (first appearance; a robot; destroyed in this story)
Comments: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight Thad Linnis in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #84.
This story is recycled in issue #304, which is the second time
Superman participates in the Interplanetary Olympics.
Synopsis: Superman is drawn to an alien world and invited to take part
in an Interplanetary Olympics.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 16
October 1956
Cover: Superman seeing falling cornice break on Jimmy Olsen’s invulnerable
head //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Three Lives of Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #84)
Cameo appearances: Chief Perri, Jhimmie, Pyramid Petrus, Jymius, Samson,
Hercules, Jimmy the Red, Thor (in Jimmy’s dream; first and only appearance
for all)
Villain: “Con” Connors (aka Swami Rama; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is apparently regressed through a Swami’s machine
to three past lives, in which he was the pal of Samson, Hercules, and Thor.
Story: “The Boy of Steel” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #84)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen becomes invulnerable for a time after a radiation
bombardment.
Story: “The Super Liar of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #221)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #84; next appears in ACTION COMICS #221), Lois Lane (next appears
in ACTION COMICS #221)
Intro: Kitty Devoe (only appearance; voice only)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen takes a lying serum that makes it impossible
for him to tell the truth--so, when a gang of crooks kidnap him and try
to force him to spill Superman’s secret identity, he tells the biggest
lie he can think of, and names Clark Kent.
Action Comics No. 221
October 1956
Cover: Superman lifting crooks and car magnetically into air //Al Plastino
Story: “Superman’s New Super-Power”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #16; next appears in SUPERMAN #109)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #16; both next appear in SUPERMAN #109)
Villains: Jay Vorrell and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: An encounter with a comet in space gives Superman magnetic
powers.
Superman No. 109
November 1956
Cover: Clark Kent and Lois Lane watching Paul Berg and Superman puppet
//Win Mortimer
Story: “The Man Who Stole Superman’s Powers” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #221)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #221)
Intro: J. Burton (only appearance)
Villains: Abner Hokum (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is hoodwinked by a hustler named Abner Hokum who
hopes to profit on his super-deeds, but the Man of Steel manages to turn
the tables.
Story: “The Puppet With X-Ray Eyes” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane
Intro: Paul Berg (only appearance)
Villains: Barney Bates, Grabby Todd (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: Two crooks are convinced a Superman ventriloquist’s dummy
has X-ray vision, and plan to snatch it.
Story: “The Duplicate Disasters” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #222)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #222),
Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #221; next appears in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #17)
Synopsis: Great disasters of the past are reoccuring in the modern
world, and Superman must learn the source of the problem.
Action Comics No. 222
November 1956
Cover: Clark Kent and duplicate Superman //Al Plastino
Story: “The Duplicate Superman”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #109; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #85)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #109;
next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #85)
Intro: Superman-T (dies in this story)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to help Princess Varina in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #85.
Synopsis: Superman is split by a cobalt bomb’s explosion into two duplicate
Supermen, differentiated only by the fact that one lacks a vision power
the other has: Superman-T, as he calls himself, has telescopic vision,
while Superman-X has X-ray vision. The two Supermen work together
for a time, until Superman-T heroically sacrifices his life to knock aside
a giant Kryptonite meteor heading towards Metropolis. Upon Superman-T’s
death, Superman-X regains all his former powers.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 17
December 1956
Cover: Jimmy Olsen and Barney Bolton (disguised as Superman) //Curt
Swan / Ray Burnley
Story: “Jimmy Olsen In the 50th Century” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #85)
Villain: Prof. Xerxes (first and only appearance)
Comment: It is possible that the 50th Century Jimmy Olsen and Superman
reach is the same time-line that Superboy visited in ADVENTURE COMICS #279,
some years previous to this story. In that story the existence of
Superboy was doubted. Now they believe in his existence, but have
his secret identity wrong.
Jimmy Olsen’s secret signal-watch is shown having the ability
to signal Superman across the time-barrier, which future stories claim
cannot be done.
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen takes an accidental trip into the future year
of 4956 A.D. There he learns that the people of the 50th Century
believe he was secretly Superman. His protests that he has no super-powers
fail to convince Prof. Xerxes, a scientist of that time, who chalks his
power-loss up to higher Earth gravity and a passing Kryptonite comet.
Xerxes endows Jimmy with temporary artificial super-powers, which are exposed
by Jon Smyth, an author of a book who claims Superman was a hoax.
Jimmy finally manages to summon Superman to the future, where he exposes
“Jon Smyth” as Professor Xerxes, demonstrates his existence conclusively
to the people of that era, and takes Jimmy back to the 20th Century.
Story: “The Case of the Cartoon Scoops” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #109),
Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #85; next appears in
SUPERMAN #110)
Villain: The Swami (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen’s Superman cartoons in the Daily Planet depicting
the Man of Steel’s hypothetical treatment of imaginary disasters lead to
a string of real disasters which Superman has to cope with.
Story: “The Radioactive Boy” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #111)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #223)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #224)
Villains: Barney Bolton and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: To trick Jimmy Olsen into leaving him access to the Daily
Planet safe where evidence against him is held, gangleader Barney Bolton
impersonates Superman and convinces Jimmy he has become radioactive.
Action Comics #223
December 1956
Cover: Superman viewing film of Jor-El flying and taking lightning
bolt on his chest //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The First Superman of Krypton” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #17; next appears in SUPERMAN #110; also appears as baby Kal-El (his
first chronological appearance; born in this story); see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (in flashback; see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Intro: The Science Council of Krypton (in flashback; next appearance
in ?)
Villains: Val-Arn, Khai-Zor (first appearance for both; both next appear
in SUPERBOY #158; in flashback)
Comment: This story establishes that Kal-El, the future Superman, was
born in the 10,000th year of Krypton’s existence.
A sequel to this story, whose canonicity is challengeable, appears
in SUPERBOY #158. This story reveals that Jor-El received a dose of incurable
radiation poisoning in the second expedition to Krypton’s core (on page
11, panel 3) and irradiated Lara before he could warn her away, dooming
them both to a painful death from the radiation exposure if they had survived
Krypton’s destruction.
Since later stories establish that yellow solar rays are necessary
in large part for Kryptonians to gain super-powers, when this story is
reprinted in SUPERMAN #193 dialogue is added to reveal that Jor-El also
simulated yellow sun rays in his experimental Earth-zone.
Jor-El and Lara discover that Kryptonians acquire super-powers
under lesser gravity and out of the rays of Krypton’s red sun in a chronologically
earlier story (SUPERMAN #123). However, since this discovery is made
while they are on a small asteroid, it is probable that Jor-El did not
know whether or not Kryptonians would have powers on a full-sized planet
such as Earth.
Synopsis: Superman discovers a lead box in space containing another
journal of Jor-El’s and some films which he made. When he reads the
journal and views the films, he learns how Jor-El first discovered evidence
of Krypton’s coming destruction shortly before Kal-El’s birth on the 10,000th
year of Krypton’s civilization. Since the ruling Science Council
of Krypton failed to heed his warning, Jor-El began a search for a suitable
planet on which to relocate. He chose Earth as a possibility, and
created an artificial site which duplicated Earth’s gravity and yellow-sun
environiment to learn what effect they would have on Kryptonians.
To his astonishment, he gained super-powers in the simulated Earth-site.
However, the Science Council again rejected his findings, save
for two members named Val-Arn and Khai-Zor. After they learned for
themselves how they would become “supermen” on Earth, the two scientists
captured Jor-El, Lara, and their newborn son Kal-El, and announced their
plans to build a rocket which would take them to Earth, which they would
tyrannize with their great powers. Jor-El tricked them into taking
him to the Earth-simulation site, where he broke free of his bonds, shut
off the gravity and yellow-sun machines, and captured them. After
delivering them to the authorities, Jor-El made another trip to Krypton’s
core in a mole machine and found the chain reaction was building.
When he returned, he inserted a warning sequence depicting Krypton’s possible
destruction in a film presented during the 10,000th anniversary celebration,
and was denounced as a crackpot. The journal goes on to describe
how Jor-El sent his son Kal-El to Earth in a rocket, and ends with a note
to Kal-El, if he finds it, to remember his heritage as a Kryptonian and
to do only good with his powers.
Superman realizes his father was the first “superman” of Krypton,
and silently promises to use his powers only in the cause of righteousness.
Superman No. 110
January 1957
Cover: Superman vs. giant ant //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Secret of the Superman Trophy” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #223;
also appears in flashbacks to indeterminate times)
Supporting characters: Mayor Manning (last appearance in issue #108;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #227; last name revealed in this story),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #17; also appears
in flashback to indeterminate time)
Intro: Prof. Forrest, Walter Heming, Jud Wellman (only appearance for
all)
Villains: Red Hollis, Biff Warren, Les Keegan (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Superman traps three hoods in the Superman Hall of Trophies,
but learns from them that one of the trophies can sink the career of Metropolis’s
mayor.
Story: “The Mystery Superman” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane
Intro: Hal (only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent and Lois Lane attend a Superman celebration in
Highville, where they learn that everyone in town seems to think a local
resident is the Man of Steel.
Story: “The Defeat of Superman” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #224)
GS: A Superman robot
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #224)
Villain: Lex Luthor (between issues #106 / 112) and his gang (first
and only appearance)
Synopsis: Luthor strikes at Metropolis with a ray that enlarges any
object, including ants and tiny specks of Kryptonite.
Action Comics No. 224
January 1957
Cover: Superman stopping plane from landing on Superman Island //Al
Plastino
Story: “The Secret of Superman Island” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #110; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #86)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #110;
next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #86), Perry White (last appearance
in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #17; next appears in SUPERMAN #111)
Intro: Prof. Vanley (only appearance)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: Shortly after this story, Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to combat Henry Bartle in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #86.
Synopsis: Superman creates an island in his image, but refuses to let
anyone land on it.
Superman No. 111
February 1957
Cover: Lois Lane watching Mysto make Superman emerge from trunk //Win
Mortimer
Story: “The Non-Super Superman” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#86)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#17 / 18), Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #86)
Villains: Blacky Baird and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Superman brings back a souvenir of a dead civilization on
Saturn to Earth. It proves to be a “mentality exchanger” which transfers
his mind into the body of Jimmy Olsen, and vice versa. Before the
two can restore their minds to their usual bodies, Jimmy has interesting
adventures in Superman’s powerful body, and Superman experiences what it
is like to be a non-powered human.
Story: “Clark Kent’s Crooked Cousin” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (also appears, in flashback, as Superboy,
between ADVENTURE COMICS #232 / 233)
Supporting Characters: Jonathan Kent (in flashback; last chronological
appearance in ADVENTURE COMICS #232; next chronological appearance in SUPERBOY
#55), Lana Lang (in flashback; chronologically between SUPERBOY #54 / 55),
Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #224)
Intro: George Kent (in flashback; Jonathan Kent’s brother; dies before
this story begins)
Villain: Mike Dow (aka Judd Kent; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent learns he has a cousin named Judd Kent, who is
presently a convict and who claims he knows Clark is the Man of Steel and
will reveal the secret unless he is sprung from jail.
Story: “The Magical Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #18)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #225),
Perry White (voice only; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #18)
Villains: Joe Scott and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Lois Lane and a gang of crooks are interested in a new magician
named Mysto, who appears to be able to materialize Superman at will and
command him.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 18
February 1957
Cover: Jimmy Olsen cornered, Superbaby, and crooks’ shadows //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super Safari” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #111)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #111)
Intro: Barney (only appearance)
Villain: Silky Todd (aka Sahib Sik; first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A con man sells Jimmy Olsen a “magic” flute which seems to
have the power to soothe animals, and Jimmy goes to Africa to try to round
up beasts for a showman’s circus.
Story: “The Riddle Reporter” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #111;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #225)
Intro: The Riddle Reporter (a robot; destroyed in this story), Prof.
Clyde, Prince Rex (only appearance for both)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen misses scoop after scoop to the masked Riddle
Reporter, whom he suspects of being Superman.
Story: “Superbaby, Jimmy Olsen’s Pal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #225)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #225; also appears as Superbaby
and Superboy in this story)
Intro: Prof. Boone (only appearance)
Villains: The Silk Gang (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A scientist’s invention transforms Jimmy’s signal-watch into
a time-reversal watch that turns Superman into Superbaby.
Action Comics No. 225
February 1957
Cover: Superman robot revealing himself to Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen,
and Perry White //Al Plastino
Story: “The Death of Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #18; next appears in SUPERMAN #112)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (between SUPERMAN #111 / 112), Perry
White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #18; next appears
in SUPERMAN #112), Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #18; next appears in SUPERBOY #55)
Intro: Mr. Wenn (of Wenn, Wye, Howe, and Weir; only appearance), a
Superman robot (destroyed in this story)
Villains: Wing Martin, Argus, Hank, other crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Comment: Shortly after this story Jimmy Olsen travels back in time
to meet Superboy in SUPERBOY #55.
Synopsis: A Superman robot comes to the Daily Planet and reveals to
Perry White, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen that the real Superman is dead.
Superman No. 112
March 1957
Cover: Superman losing tug-of-war to “Samson”, “Atlas”, and “Hercules”
//Wayne Boring
Story: “Superman’s Neighbors” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #225)
Intro: Alexander Ross, Joe Rollins, Tommy Snead, Mrs. Higgins, Miss
Wentworth, Mr. Merton, Bill Waters (only appearance)
Comment: In this story, it is first revealed that Clark Kent lives
at 344 Clinton Street in Apartment 3-B.
Synopsis: Superman secretly (and sometimes overtly) takes care of his
neighbors’ pressing problems at Clark Kent’s apartment building, but learns
that one neighbor, Alexander Ross, is convinced that Kent is a crook posing
as a reporter.
Story: “Superman’s Fatal Costume” (6 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Villain: Lex Luthor (last appearance in issue #110; next appears in
ACTION COMICS #226), various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Lex Luthor creates a ray which, when bounced off Superman’s
costume, can transmute matter into different forms.
Story: “The Three Men of Steel” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman?
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #19)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #225; both next appear in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#19)
Intro: “Atlas”, “Hercules”, and “Samson” (only appearance for all)
Villain: Prof. Wilton (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A scientist finds a method to give normal people super-strength,
and Lois Lane takes a treatment herself.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 19
March 1957
Cover: Superman and Lois Lane watching flying Jimmy Olsen in Superman
costume //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Two Jimmy Olsens” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERBOY #55)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #112)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #112)
Intro: Dr. Saxon, Officer Clancy (only appearance for both)
Villains: Crook X, a thief (first and only appearance for both), a
robot Jimmy Olsen (first appearance; destroyed in this story)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is given a prototype plastic robot double of
himself, which turns evil after a bullet scrambles its circuits.
Story: “The Human Geiger Counter” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (next appears in WORLD’S
FINEST COMICS #87)
Villain: Doc Archer (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen thinks he has developed an allergy to Superman,
and seeks to stay away from the Man of Steel.
Story: “Superman’s Kid Brother” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #226)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #226)
Villain: A crook (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen, wearing a Superman costume to a charity show,
hits his head, gets amnesia, and thinks he is Superman’s kid brother.
Superman himself attempts to set Jimmy straight, but all of his efforts
go awry.
Action Comics No. 226
March 1957
Cover: Superman and the Petrified Spaceman //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Invulnerable Enemy” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #19; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #87)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #19; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #87)
Intro: Barnum Bolton, the Professor, the Petrified Spaceman and his
people (only appearance for all)
Villain: Lex Luthor (last appearance in SUPERMAN #112; next appears
in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to remember their battle against Elton Craig in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #87.
Synopsis: A petrified man from outer space is dug up by archeologists
and restored to life accidentally by Lex Luthor. The being, dubbed
the Petrified Spaceman, wreaks havoc in Metropolis with his super-powers
until Superman deduces that the Spaceman is in search of ice. When
Superman surrounds him with ice, the Petrified Spaceman recovers his memory
and his ability to communicate, and tells Superman he is an explorer from
an ice world who was rendered immobile by Earth’s heat. Superman
builds him a “spaceship” of ice blocks and hurls him back to his homeworld.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 20
April 1957
Cover: Superman and Lois Lane watching Jimmy Olsen and diver play checkers
in aquarium //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Super-Pet” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #87)
Intro: Danny the Dino (a dinosaur; only appearance)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Jimmy asks Superman to hatch a dinosaur egg for him in hopes
that he can win a $10,000 prize for most unusual pet, only to discover
that upkeep on a dinosaur is more than he can handle.
Story: “The Trial of Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (also appears as Superboy, in flashback to indeterminate
time)
Intro: Joel Todd (only appearance)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen raises money for an old friend of Superman’s
by selling off Superman souvenirs. But when the souvenirs quickly
crumble into dust, Jimmy is jailed for swindling.
Story: “The Merman of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #228)
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #227)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #87; both next appear in ACTION COMICS #227)
Synopsis: An encounter with a “mermaid” convinces Jimmy Olsen that
he has the power to breathe underwater.
Action Comics No. 227
April 1957
Cover: Superman melting lamppost with X-ray vision //Wayne Boring /
Stan Kaye
Story: “The Man With the Triple X-Ray Eyes” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #20; next appears in SUPERMAN #113)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #20), Mayor Manning (last appearance
in SUPERMAN #110; last appearance)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: An occurrence in space causes Superman to lose control of
his X-ray vision, making him burn up anything he looks at.
Superman No. 113
May 1957
Cover: Superman watching Jor-El save Queen Latora from robot on viewscreen
//Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Superman of the Past” (Chapter 1; 8 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Secret of the Towers” (8 pages)
Chapter 3: “The Superman of the Present” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (between ACTION COMICS #227 / 228; also
appears as baby Kal-El in flashback; see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS
#101 for chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (in flashback; see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Intro: Queen Latora, Vergoans (only appearance for all)
Villain: A mad scientist (first and only appearance)
Comments: This story inaccurately claims that Jor-El first learns of
Krypton’s possible destruction from Queen Latora and that he first learns
that Kryptonians would gain super-powers under lesser gravity and a yellow
sun in the adventure he had on Vergo. As ACTION COMICS #223 shows,
he learned both shortly after the birth of Kal-El.
Also, the story is inaccurate when it depicts Jor-El as merely
“hopping” back to Krypton from Vergo. The higher gravity of Krypton
and red rays of its sun would rob him of his powers when he came within
their influence. Jor-El probably constructed a spaceship of sorts
and used his super-powers while on Vergo to send him on a trajectory to
Krypton, where he landed safely.
This is the first book-length story in SUPERMAN.
Synopsis: Superman recovers a mind-tape and tape-player helmet from
a Kryptonite meteor. When he plays the tape, he learns it was recorded
by Jor-El, and recounts an adventure he had when Kal-El was only a baby.
He discovered an asteroid-planet, propelled by jets, called Vergo, whose
Queen Latoria announced a plan to destroy Krypton. Jor-El was sent
to Vergo in a space capsule fired by a cannon. There he gained super-powers,
and discovered that Vergo’s sun could only be rekindled by the explosion
of a planet whose core was of uranium, such as Krypton’s. Latoria
confirmed that they had no grudge against the Kryptonians, but that Krypton
was doomed anyway. After convincing Latoria not to attack Krypton, and
learning they had 50 years left before the death of Vergo, Jor-El returned
to Krypton.
After listening to the tape, Superman scours the universe with
his telescopic vision and finds Vergo, still ruled by Latoria, and in danger
of perishing. He creates an artificial planet with a uranium core,
propels it into Vergo’s sun, and reignites the star when the planet explodes.
Vergo is saved, and Latoria is grateful to the son of Jor-El.
Action Comics No. 228
May 1957
Cover: Superman building skyscraper //Al Plastino
Story: “Superman’s Super Skyscraper” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #113; next
appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88; also appears as Superboy, chronologically
between ADVENTURE COMICS #236 / SUPERBOY #57)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#20 / 21), Perry White, Lois Lane (both next appear in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#88)
Villains: Jay Amery and his accomplice (first and only appearance for
both), Lex Luthor (in flashback; last chronological appearance in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #9 (flashback); next chronological appearance in WORLD’S
FINEST COMICS #108 (flashback))
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight Lex Luthor and the Joker in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88.
Synopsis: Superman constructs a skyscraper in Metropolis and turns
it into a museum of his past cases.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 21
June 1957
Cover: Superman scattering petals at Jimmy Olsen’s and Lois Lane’s
wedding //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Legend of Greenbeard Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#228)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88)
Intro: Greenbeard Olsen, Eric Olsen, Lars Olsen, Paul (?) Olsen (cameo;
Jimmy Olsen’s ancestors; first and only appearance; see Comment below)
Villains: Peter Shaw, Shorty Blake (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: It is unknown exactly how Jimmy’s ancestors in this tale fit
into his family tree, but several are named, as follows:
Greenbeard Olsen (1721-1766)
Eric Olsen (an immigrant)
Lars Olsen
Paul (?) Olsen (name partly obscured)
Synopsis: Peter Shaw and Shorty Blake, two swindlers, try to scam Jimmy
out of a $25,000 inheritance of treasure from his ancestor, Greenbeard
Olsen, a “pirate” who secrely worked for the law. Superman captures
the crooks and exposes their scheme.
Story: “Wonder Lad” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisigner
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (becomes Wonder Lad for this story only)
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane
Intro: Tommy (only appearance)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: While Superman is gone on a round-the-world patrol, Jimmy
Olsen makes use of a super-plastic jet suit and becomes the super-hero,
Wonder Lad.
Story: “The Wedding of Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SHOWCASE #9)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #229)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (both next appear in
ACTION COMICS #229)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A series of misunderstandings leads Jimmy to believe Lois
Lane has fallen for him, and it takes Superman to help Lois let him down
easy.
Action Comics No. 229
June 1957
Cover: Superman in satellite orbiting Earth //Al Plastino
Story: “The Superman Satellite” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #21; next appears in SUPERMAN #114)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #21; both next appear in SUPERMAN #114)
Intro: Dr. John Haley (only appearance)
Villains: A Dr. John Haley impostor, various crooks (first and only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: After destroying an asteroid in space, Superman is informed
that he has become poisonous and that he must never touch the Earth again.
Superman No. 114
July 1957
Cover: Superman vs. dragon //Al Plastino?
Story: “The Soundproof Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #229)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#229), Lois Lane (between ACTION COMICS #229 / 230)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman’s crime-fighting is inhibited by the fact that a
tremendous explosion in an enclosed place has increased the acuity of his
hearing so much that every sound is painful to him.
Story: “The Man Who Discovered Superman’s Identity” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (voice only; next appears in ACTION
COMICS #230)
Intro: Richard Tuttle, Oscar Todd, Helen Ross (only appearance for
all)
Villains: Mento (not to be confused with the Mento who appears in DOOM
PATROL and NEW TEEN TITANS), Big Joe and his gang (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: A mentalist claims to have telepathically learned Superman’s
secret identity and offers it to a gangster, for a price.
Story: “Superman’s Billion-Dollar Debt” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #230)
Intro: Jason Hawker (only appearance; an IRS agent)
Villain: Dapper Dan (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: An IRS agent approaches Superman and informs him that he
owes $1,000,000,000 in back taxes, which he must pay up, or go to jail.
Action Comics No. 230
July 1957
Cover: Superman parachuting from skyscraper //Al Plastino
Story: “Superman Loses His Powers”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #114; next
appears in SHOWCASE #9)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #114;
next appears in SHOWCASE #9), Perry White (between SUPERMAN #114 / 115)
Villains: Bart Wellins, various crooks (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Superman must perform his duties in Metropolis without using
any of his super-powers, which leads to belief that he has lost them.
Showcase No. 9
July-August 1957
Cover: Superman, Lois Lane, and “Super-Baby” //Rubein Moreira / Al
Plastino
Story: “The Girl In Superman’s Past” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #230)
GS: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #230; also appears as
Superboy in flashback, chronologically between ADVENTURE COMICS #238 /
239)
Supporting Character: Lana Lang (between SUPERMAN #78 / 116; also appears
in flashback, chronologically between SUPERBOY #58 / ADVENTURE COMICS #239)
Comment: Clark’s introduction of Lana to Lois on page 2, panel 1 and
Lois’s reaction, as if she were meeting Lana for the first time, is inconsistent
with later Superboy / Superman chronicles. By this time, Lois and
Lana have met twice (in ADVENTURE COMICS #261 and SUPERMAN #78).
Lana has apparently quit or lost her job at the news syndicate, which she
gained in SUPERMAN #78.
Synopsis: Lana Lang returns to Metropolis to look for a job, and Lois
takes her on as a roomie. But both women are soon competing with
each other, to find which one Superman loves the most.
Story: “The New Lois Lane” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Villains: “Con” Conners and his henchman (first and only appearance
for both)
Synopsis: Lois Lane vows not to try and learn if Clark Kent is really
Superman, but instead ends up helping to convince a gangster that Superman
is not really Kent.
Story: “Mrs. Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Ruben Moreira
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN #115)
GS: Superman (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #89)
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #21; next appears in SUPERMAN #115)
Cameo appearance: Superbaby II (Superman’s and Lois’s son; in a dream;
first appearance), Lulu Lyons (in a dream; first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to meet with the Club of Heroes in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #89.
Synopsis: Lois Lane falls into a coma after striking her head on a
rock, and Superman tries to bring her out of a dream of her happy wedded
life to him by suggesting marriage to the Man of Steel wouldn’t be a bed
of roses.
Superman No. 115
August 1957
Cover: Lois Lane and Superman with three substitute Supermen //Al Plastino
Story: “The Midget Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#89)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SHOWCASE #9)
Intro: Tina Thumb, Tom Thumb (only appearance for both), Super-Tot
(only appearance; see Comment below)
Villains: Goliath, Joe Trent, a gang of crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Comment: Since Superman never appeared as “Super-Tot”, who is depicted
with a complete Superman (or Superboy) uniform in this story, years before
Superboy created his costume, it is doubtful that the Super-Tot in this
story is a younger version of the Earth-One Superman. Most likely,
Super-Tot comes from a parallel Earth.
Synopsis: When a midget actor playing Superman grows to normal size
overnight, Superman summons a pre-teen Super-Tot to take his place, while
waiting for the growth spurt to reverse itself.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Lost Pal” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SHOWCASE #9;
next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #22), Perry White (last appearance
in ACTION COMICS #230)
Intro: John Shaw, Dr. Xavier Todd, Ben Hugh, Otis Blake, Henry Reed,
Prof. Clyde Ott (only appearance for all)
Villain: Many-Faces Fulton (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman undertakes a dangerous mission and gives Jimmy Olsen
an envelope containing his secret identity, to be revealed if he doesn’t
come back for a week. A criminal disguise artist plans to learn the
secret for himself.
Story: “The Three Substitute Supermen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #22)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #22)
Villain: The Organizer and his aide (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: Superman undertakes a mission in space, leaves his uniform
behind, and allows Perry White to use a power-endowing machine to create
three successive substitute Supermen.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 22
August 1957
Cover: Superman blasted by future-brained Jimmy Olsen’s Kryptonite
vision //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Mystery of the Millionaire Hoboes” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #115)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #115)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #115)
Villains: Roger Craig, Dan Conrad, John Cyrus (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen becomes a hobo to learn why three Metropolis
millionaires have become hoboes as well.
Story: “The Super-Hallucinations” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Villains: Dr. Gordon, various crooks (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Superman is apparently afflicted with a rare eye disease
that causes him to see strange images...and can give the disease to Jimmy.
Story: “The Super-Brain of Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #231)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #231)
Supporting Characters: Prof. Phineas Potter (first appearance;
last chronological appearance in NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERBOY #26; next appears
in issue #24), Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #231), Perry White
Synopsis: Professor Phineas Potter unveils his invention, the Evolution
Accelerator, at the Daily Planet. Jimmy Olsen agrees to be a test
subject, and is artificially evolved into a man as would populate the Earth
in the year 1,000,000 A.D. The hyperevolution gives Jimmy incredible
super-powers, reveals to him Superman’s secret identity, and enables him
to use the Man of Steel as a pawn in an incredible plot.
Action Comics No. 231
August 1957
Cover: Jimmy Olsen in knight’s armor on bicycle, splitting lance against
Superman’s chest //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “Sir Jimmy Olsen, Knight of Metropolis”
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #22
/ 23)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane (both between SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #22 / 23)
Intro: Prof. Z. Peabody (only appearance)
Villains: The Sea Gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen finds that he will be the king of the island
of Vumania if he performs three tasks, but a gang of crooks is out to see
that he doesn’t.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 23
September 1957
Cover: Superman and Jimmy Olsen peeling spuds on K.P. duty //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Two Super-Pals” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #231)
GS: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #231)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION
COMICS #231; next appears in SUPERMAN #116)
Villains: The Mind Robber and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen gains a new “pal” in the form of a green-skinned
genie, who seems to have all the powers of Superman.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Bearded Boy” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White
Villains: The Beard Band, a gang of crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: To gain entrance to a secret club of bearded men, Jimmy drinks
a tonic provided by the leader of the Beard Band. This makes his
beard grow super-fast and super-long...and he has to do whatever the leader
demands of him in order to earn the antidote.
Story: “Adventures of Private Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #116)
GS: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN #116)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN #116)
Intro: Colonel Otis (only appearance)
Villain: Sgt. Blye (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen signs up for a week of Army life to get a story,
and a sergeant, thinking he is the son of a famous general, rigs a bet
to see that he fails his basic training.
Superman No. 116
September 1957
Cover: Superman crashing into hoods’ hideout with mechanical fist //Al
Plastino
Story: “The Ray That Changed Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #23)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #23; both next appear in SHOWCASE #10)
Intro: Lt. Winters (only appearance)
Villains: Rex Malcolm and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman appears to fall victim to a ray that causes him
to exhibit outlandish behavior linked to whoever or whatever he is looking
at.
Story: “Disaster Strikes Twice” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (also appears in flashback as Superboy,
between SUPERBOY #59 / ACTION COMICS #232 (flashback))
Supporting Characters: Lana Lang (last appearance in SHOWCASE #9; next
appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #7), Mayor Horace Higgins
(in flashback)
Intro: Mayor of Smallville (not Horace Higgins), Wendley (only appearance
for both)
Synopsis: Superman returns to Smallville for the anniversary of Superboy’s
departure, and discovers that old events are repeating themselves there.
Story: “The Mechanized Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #232)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (next appears in SHOWCASE #10), Perry
White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #23; next appears
in SHOWCASE #10)
Villains: Prof. Ephraim Snively, various crooks (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: A cloud of Kryptonite dust engulfs Earth, endangering Superman
and forcing him to build mechanical devices to perform his deeds.
Action Comics No. 232
September 1957
Cover: Superman and Superman, Jr. on picnic //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Story of Superman, Junior” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #116; next
appears in SHOWCASE #10; also appears in flashback as Superboy, chronologically
between SUPERMAN #116 (2) (flashback) / ADVENTURE COMICS #240)
Intro: Superman, Jr. (Jimmy Kirk; first and only appearance), Dr. Morton
Kirk (first appearance; in flashback; dies in this story)
Synopsis: Dr. Morton Kirk, believing that Earth was doomed to perish
when a giant planet threatened to collide with it, sent his young son Jimmy
off in a rocket, intending to place him on another world. But Superboy
saved the Earth, though he was unable to find Jimmy Kirk, and the dying
Dr. Kirk left him a last request: that if he found Jimmy, he would become
his legal guardian. Years later, the space capsule carrying Jimmy
crashes to Earth, and Superman learns that Jimmy’s passage through space
has given him super-powers. He adopts Jimmy, gives him the identity
of Superman, Jr., and moves to Smallville under a new secret identity...and
all the while, a “super-poison” Superman has breathed in from the space
capsule is robbing him of his powers.
Showcase No. 10
September-October 1957
Cover: Superman, Lois Lane, and cape, glasses, and gloves from a Kryptonian
box //Wayne Boring / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Jilting of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #116)
GS: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #232)
Intro: Millie, Tony Lester (only appearance for both)
Synopsis: To make Superman jealous, Lois Lane pretends to have eloped
with a handsome actor.
Story: “The Sightless Lois Lane” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #116)
Synopsis: Lois may lose her sight within three days from a radiation
bombardment, and Superman sets out to show her all her eyes can behold
within that time.
Story: “The Forbidden Box From Krypton” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#90)
GS: Superman (next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #90)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (in flashback; see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology), Perry White (next appears in WORLD’S
FINEST COMICS #90), Jimmy Olsen (shown with blonde hair; last appearance
in SUPERMAN #116; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #24)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman, Robin,
and Batwoman to fight Elton Craig in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #90.
Synopsis: A box from Krypton sent to Lois Lane contains three objects
from Krypton that give her super-powers.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 24
October 1957
Cover: Gorilla with Jimmy Olsen’s mind in cage typing, Superman, and
Jimmy Olsen with gorilla’s mind swinging from tree //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Superman Hall of Trophies” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SHOWCASE #10)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #90)
Villains: Two crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen serves as tour guide at the opening of the Superman
Hall of Trophies, not knowing Superman is substituting for a broken statue
of himself...and that he is immobilized by a chunk of Kryptonite.
Story: “The Gorilla Reporter” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #90)
Intro: Prof. Thorne, Bonzo (a gorilla), Golden George, the Gorilla,
Zimba (another gorilla)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A scientist’s mind-transfer device places Jimmy Olsen’s mind
in the body of a gorilla. Jimmy swings into action as a gorilla reporter
in Metropolis, while Superman tries to find a way to keep him from remaining
an eternal anthropoid.
Story: “The Luckiest Boy in the World” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #117)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #233)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN #117),
Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #233)
Intro: A swami (only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen thinks that a “lucky turban” he has bought from
a swami is a sham, until he finds the headgear bringing him real luck.
Action Comics No. 233
October 1957
Cover: Clark Kent among Borgonians wearing Superman costumes //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Land of a Million Supermen” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye?
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #24; next appears in SUPERMAN #117)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #24; next appears in SUPERMAN #117)
Intro: Gault, Henrik (only appearance)
Villains: Torm and his aides (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: When Clark Kent is accidentally stranded in the nation of
Borgonia, he discovers that everyone there, including himself, must wear
a Superman costume on pain of death...which is a giant trap the dictator
of Borgonia has set for the real Superman.
Superman No. 117
November 1957
Cover: Bank president watching Superman use “cold vision” on bank vault
door //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye?
Story: “Clark Kent, Man of Mystery” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #233)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #24), Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #233)
Synopsis: Clark Kent finds himself under an uncontrollable impulse
to try to assassinate Perry White, but to save him seconds later as Superman.
Story: “The Secret of Fort Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#24 / 25), Lois Lane, Perry White
Villains: Lex Luthor (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #88;
next appears in ACTION COMICS #236), the Dimension Outlaws (first and only
appearance)
Synopsis: On learning that a machine of Luthor’s which he has destroyed
has already served its purpose, Superman constructs a fortress outside
Metropolis filled with dangerous things.
Story: “The Man With the Zero Eyes” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature character: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #234)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (both next appear in
ACTION COMICS #234)
Villains: Rex Chalmers and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: A mishap in space causes Superman’s X-ray vision to produce
cold, instead of heat.
Action Comics No. 234
November 1957
Cover: Superman and Gollo disguised as building //Curt Swan / Stan
Kaye
Story: “The Creature of 1,000 Disguises” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #117; next
appears in flashback in next issue)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #117; both next appear in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #91)
Intro: Gollo and other Zarians (all next appear in issue #572), Johnny
Miles, Mrs. Miles (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: After this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin to battle
Rohtul in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #91.
Synopsis: A chameleon creature runs away from the planet Zar, befriends
a human runaway on Earth, and causes problems for Superman.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 25
December 1957
Cover: Jimmy Olsen being rejected by Superman, Lois Lane, and Perry
White //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Secret of the Superman Dummies” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #117)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #91)
Intro: Whizzo (a magician; only appearance)
Villain: Angles Anson (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is handcuffed to a crook by a magician who collapses,
and can only get free if he guesses the magic word that opens the cuffs.
Story: “The Second Superboy” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (becomes Super Youth for this story
only)
GS: Superman (also appears as Superbaby and Superboy, the latter in
flashback to indeterminate time)
Supporting Characters: Professor Potter (between issues #22 / 27),
Lana Lang (in flashback to indeterminate time)
Villain: Killer Krezz (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Professor Potter sends Jimmy in a spaceship to the world
of Dorth, whose lighter gravity gives him super-powers. He adopts
the costumed identity of Super Youth.
Story: “The Day There Was No Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #118)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #235)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #91; next appears in ACTION COMICS #235), Perry White (last appearance
in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #91; next appears in SUPERMAN #118)
Intro: Terry Atkins (only appearance)
Villains: The Scarface Gang (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen awakens one day to find all his friends at the
Daily Planet, and Superman himself, deny that he ever existed.
Action Comics No. 235
December 1957
Cover: Superman being auctioned off by Amazons //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Prisoner of Amazon Island” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #25; next appears in SUPERMAN #118; also appears in flashback, between
issue #234 / WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #91)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #25; next appears in SUPERMAN #118)
Intro: Dr. Edna Blaine, Julia Johns, Sonya Sophia, Betty Dunn (with
Lois Lane, make up the Super Sorority), Queen Elisha and her Amazons (only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: Lois Lane and other members of the Super Sorority are shipwrecked
on an island of Amazons. When Superman arrives to rescue them, he
discovers that the Amazons have an antidote for Kryptonite, and decides
to stay until he discovers what it is.
Superman No. 118
January 1958
Cover: Blacky Barton (in Superman uniform) and a henchman pronouncing
Superman dead //Curt Swan / Sheldon Moldoff?
Story: “The Prehistoric Pet” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #235)
Intro: A flying creature (only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman is beset by a flying, dragon-like “pet” which does
everything Superman does--in reverse.
Story: “The Boy Napoleon” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #25; next appears in ACTION COMICS #236), Perry White (last
appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #25)
Villains: Two spies (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: A defective computer gives Jimmy Olsen a super-high test
score on a military aptitude exam. As a result, he is drafted and
made a six-star general...and Superman has to ensure that Jimmy’s very
stupid “strategies” work.
Story: “The Death of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #236)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS
#235), Perry White
Villains: Blacky Barton (first and only appearance), the Crime Syndicate
(first appearance; next appears in ACTION COMICS #288)
Synopsis: A gangster named Blacky Barton impersonates Superman at a
masquerade party in order to lure the Man of Steel into a Kryptonite deathtrap.
Action Comics No. 236
January 1958
Cover: Superman in new uniform, tailor with old Superman costume //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s New Uniform” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #118; next
appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #92)
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #118;
next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #26)
Villain: Lex Luthor (last appearance in SUPERMAN #117; next appears
in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to meet Skyboy in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #92.
Synopsis: Lex Luthor devises a plan to steal charity money and destroy
Superman by making it appear that the Man of Steel’s original uniform has
lost its invulnerability, and by replacing it with a new uniform which
supposedly will protect him against Kryptonite...though it contains a Kryptonite
deathtrap.
Superman No. 119
February 1958
Cover: Superman and Kell Orr as Clark Kent //Curt Swan / Sheldon Moldoff?
Story: “The Second Superman”
Chapter 1: “The World That Was Krypton’s Twin” (8 pages)
Chapter 2: “A Double For Superman” (8 pages)
Chapter 3: “Superman’s Mightiest Quest” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#92; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #26)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #26)
Intro: Zoll Orr, Kell Orr, Vana Vair, people of Xenon (Krypton’s smaller
“twin world”; only appearance for all)
Villain: Sparkler Staines and his gang (first and only appearance for
all)
Comment: The planet Xenon, like Krypton, is named after a rare gas
element.
Synopsis: Superman discovers that a planet named Xenon is a smaller
twin world of Krypton, and that it contains doubles of his father and himself.
Kell Orr, Superman’s double, exchanges places with him on Earth, until
the Man of Steel learns of a deadly threat to all of Xenon.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 26
February 1958
Cover: Superman and winged Jimmy Olsen //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The World’s ‘Heavyweight’ Champ” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #236)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #119)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #119),
Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #119; next appears in ACTION COMICS
#237)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: A freak accident involving Jimmy Olsen’s signal watch causes
Jimmy Olsen to become super-heavy whenever he is around Superman.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen, Foreign Correspondent” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Villain: King Orto (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: While Jimmy Olsen is stationed in Hoxania as a foreign correspondent,
he tries to help overthrow the cruel King Orto, but his efforts go awry
every time--and he and Clark Kent are soon scheduled for execution.
Story: “The Birdboy of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #1)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #237)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #237)
Comment: This story takes place on and around Christmas.
Synopsis: After Jimmy Olsen sees Clark Kent in flight during an emergency
when Kent didn’t have time to switch to his Superman outfit, Clark deceives
Jimmy into thinking a pair of ancient wings gave him the ability to fly,
and then has to secretly provide flight power for Jimmy whenever the latter
tries the wings out for himself.
Action Comics No. 237
February 1958
Cover: Lois Lane and Perry White watching Clark Kent exposing his Superman
costume and smashing desk //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s Exposed Identity” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #26; next appears in SUPERMAN #120)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance
for both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #26; both next appear in SUPERMAN
#120)
Intro: Henry Furst, Prof. Royce, Dr. Griffin, Jeb Withers, Mr. Wisp,
Tony (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A newspaper tycoon fakes his own death in order to get Superman
to reveal his secret identity to him.
Superman No. 120
March 1958
Cover: Minister, Lois Lane, Superman, and “Joyce White” //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Day That Superman Married” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #237)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #237)
Intro: “Joyce White” (a robot; destroyed in this story)
Villains: Coup Colby and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Superman appears to have a whirlwind courtship with a beautiful
blonde who claims to be Perry White’s niece, and marries her, to Lois Lane’s
tearful regret.
Story: “The Super-Feats Superman Forgot” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (also appears in “flash-forward” to indeterminate
time)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #1)
Intro: Bobby Forbes, Ali Singh (only appearance for both)
Comment: In this story, Superman learns that he will be married, twenty
years from the time of this story, though it is debatable that the date
of “1978" is the real one.
Synopsis: Clark Kent judges an amateur photography contest for Superman
photos, and discovers a picture of a feat he hasn’t accomplished yet.
Story: “The Human Missile” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #1)
GS: A Superman robot
Cameo appearance: Lois Lane, Perry White
Villains: Gadget Grim and his gang, various crooks (first and only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: A criminal’s special magnet attracts Superman’s costume,
drawing him away from the sites of emergencies.
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane No. 1
March-April 1958
Cover: Lois Lane as witch on broomstick with Superman //Curt Swan /
Stan Kaye
Story: “The Bombshell of the Boulevards” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Leo Dorfman
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #120)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #120)
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #26)
Intro: Lois LaFlamme, Mrs. Vandergilt, Hawkins, Count Armand De Foix,
an ambassador (only appearance for all)
Synopsis: When Lois Lane impersonates a sexy movie star to gain access
to an ambassador for a scoop, Superman and Jimmy Olsen decide to teach
her a lesson.
Story: “Lois Lane, Super-Chef” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #27), Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #120)
Intro: Mr. Romance, Mrs. Morgan (only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Lois decides to win Superman through her cooking and inveigles
him into helping her when she takes on a temporary job as a chef at a diner.
Story: “The Witch of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #27)
GS: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #27)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #27)
Intro: Museum of Superstition curator, Professor Jason (next appears
in issue #3), Mrs. Jameson (Lois’s neighbor; only appearance for all),
Molly Todd (cameo; only appearance)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Comment: The “Hix-Hox-Hex” chant in this story was first used by writer
Otto Binder in a Captain Marvel story in CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES #102.
Synopsis: When a scientist’s old age serum turns Lois Lane into a hag
at moonlight, she mistakenly thinks that she has inherited the curse of
an ancient witch, and Superman has to make her “magic” work in order to
prevent her from suffering a mental shock.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 27
March 1958
Cover: Superman and two Jimmy Olsens with Kryptonite trap //Curt Swan
/ Stan Kaye
Story: “The Boy From Mars” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #1)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE
#1)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #1)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen eats Kryptonite-impregnated fruit in order to
give himself green skin so that he can pull off a hoax as a “Martian” boy.
Superman discovers Jimmy’s ruse and decides to teach him a lesson.
Story: “A Date With Miss Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Lois Lane (next appears in WORLD’S
FINEST COMICS #93)
Intro: Gloria Mason, Alice (only appearance for both)
Villain: A crook (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is gung-ho to interview Miss Metropolis, only
to discover that she is a plain-looking girl with a high IQ and that, through
a series of misunderstandings, she thinks he wants to marry her.
Story: “The Outlaw Jimmy Olsen” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in ACTION COMICS #238)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #238)
Supporting Characters: Professor Potter (last appearance in issue #25),
Perry White
Villain: A duplicate Jimmy Olsen (first appearance; destroyed in this
story), Sparkler Smith, a gangster (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Professor Potter’s twin-making ray creates an evil double
of Jimmy Olsen who learns Superman’s secret identity and intends to sell
the information to the underworld.
Action Comics No. 238
March 1958
Cover: King Krypton vs. Superman //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Gorilla From Krypton” (11 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #27; next appears in flashback in SUPERMAN #130 (1))
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN
#27 / 28)
Intro: A Kryptonian scientist (in flashback), a guide (only appearance
for both)
Villains: King Krypton (first appearance; dies in this story), a tribal
chief (first and only appearance)
Comment: This is the first story to reveal that Kryptonians turn green
in the last stages of Kryptonite poisoning.
Shortly after this story, Superman suffers exposure to Kryptonite
himself, tries and fails to find an antidote, and trains his Superman robots
to feign weakness to Kryptonite, as shown in SUPERMAN #130 (1), then teams
with Batman and Robin to fight Victor Danning in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#93.
Synopsis: A Kryptonian scientist is devolved into a gorilla by a defective
evolution device and is shot into space in a capsule by his partner.
Years after Krypton’s demise, the capsule crashes in Africa, and a visiting
Jimmy Olsen and Superman have to deal with the menace of King Krypton,
the super-gorilla.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 28
April 1958
Cover: Superman, Jimmy Olsen //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Boy Who Killed Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #238)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #93)
Intro: People of 5921 A.D. (only appearance?)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is thrown into the 60th Century by accident and,
since the people of that time believe he was the killer of Superman in
his era, is hunted down, captured, and returned to his own time.
Back in the 20th Century, Jimmy learns that his “murder” of Superman is
to be a ruse Superman is running to capture a gang of crooks. He
tells Superman of his future adventure, and Superman writes out an explanation
of the truth and hurls it in a capsule into the year 5921 A.D. to clear
Jimmy’s name.
Story: “The Spendthrift and the Miser” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #93), Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #239)
Villains: Swindle Stanton, Lefty (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: A con artist hypnotizes Jimmy Olsen into becoming a spendthrift
by day and a miser by night, so that he can acquire Superman souvenirs
in Jimmy’s collection when Olsen hocks them.
Story: “The Human Skyscraper” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN #121)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #239)
Supporting Characters: Prof. Potter (next appears in issue #32), Lois
Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #239)
Intro: “Wonders” Wilson (only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen visits Prof. Potter for a toothache remedy, and
instead takes a pill that turns him into a giant.
Action Comics No. 239
April 1958
Cover: Superman with bandaged face and reporter with sketch of alien
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s New Face” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Edmond Hamilton
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #28; next appears in SUPERMAN #121)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #28; both next appear in SUPERMAN #121)
Intro: Dr. Norton (only appearance)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: After a nuclear mishap brands Clark Kent’s name from a metal
press card into Superman’s forehead in tiny chunks of Kryptonite, Superman
must mask his face when appearing in public, and speculation grows that
he has become disfigured.
Superman No. 121
May 1958
Cover: Futureman, Lois Lane, and Superman //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Bride of Futureman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #239)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #239)
Intro: Futureman (XL-49), a future librarian (first and only appearance
for both)
Comment: This story also names but does not picture some of Clark Kent’s
and Lois Lane’s co-workers at the Daily Planet: Pete Crowell, Tom Weaver,
Freddy Jones, Bill Stoker, and Brad Hunter.
Since Superman has numerous future descendants between the 20th
and 30th Centuries, Futureman’s quest to learn if Superman married Lois
Lane seems curious indeed. It is possible that the circumstances
of Superman’s marriage to Lois have been lost by that time, and that Futureman
has actually returned to see if he can witness their betrothal himself.
Synopsis: XL-49, an employee of the Library of Superman in the 30th
Century, is sent back in time with super-powers which he has acquired from
the science of his era in order to learn whether or not Superman and Lois
Lane married. When he finds that they have not yet wed in the era
in which he emerges, he takes on the secret identity of Futureman and tries
to woo Lois in order to make Superman jealous and get him to propose to
her. The plan doesn’t quite work out, but Lois is convinced that
Superman secretly loves her.
Story: “The Great Superman Swindle” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Alvin Schwartz
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman
Story: “Jimmy Hits the Jackpot” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #2)
Supporting Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #28)
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane No. 2
May-June 1958
Cover: Superman, Lois Lane, and picture of Superman carrying Lois Lane
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Superman’s Secret Sweetheart” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #121)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #121)
Intro: Polly Smith (only appearance)
Villains: Daphne, Vera Stephens, Gloria, and other sorority sisters
(first and only appearance for all these bitches)
Synopsis: When plain but good-hearted college girl Polly Smith is snubbed
by sorority sisters at Lois Lane’s alma mater, Lois cooks up a scheme to
make it appear as though the Man of Steel has fallen for Polly.
Story: “Lois Lane In Hollywood” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #121;
next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #29), Perry White (last appearance
in SUPERMAN #121)
Intro: Daryl Zorne, Gilda Glamarr (only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Clark Kent, Perry White, and Jimmy Olsen are all judged capable
of playing themselves in a Superman movie, but Lois Lane is not.
Superman arranges for Lois to prove her worth as an actress.
Story: “Superman’s Forbidden Room” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #240)
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #240)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appearance in ACTION COMICS
#240)
Villains: Dan Jones, Rackets Williams, and their gang (first and only
appearance for all)
Synopsis: “Rackets” Williams sends his hireling Dan Jones to impersonate
Superman and make Lois Lane believe he wants to marry her in order for
the gang to acquire evidence against them in the Daily Planet’s safe.
Lois penetrates the hoax and leads the crooks into a police trap.
Action Comics No. 240
May 1958
Cover: Superman struck by Kryptonite rays from sphinx’s eyes //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Secret of the Superman Sphinx” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #2; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #2; both next appear in SUPERMAN’S
PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #29)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight Lex Luthor in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94.
Synopsis: Superman’s powers are weakened every ninety minutes when
a Kryptonite-eyed Superman sphinx orbits overhead.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 29
June 1958
Cover: Jimmy Olsen using future-glasses to see Superman smashing his
helicopter //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Superman Book That Couldn’t Be Finished” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #2)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #94)
Cameo appearances: Merlin, James Baxter (first and only appearance),
Delilah (as characters in Jimmy Olsen’s stories)
Intro: A publisher (only appearance)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen is approached by a publisher about writing a
novel featuring himself and Superman. Despite several promising starts,
each stab he makes at it goes wrong. Then he dreams up a perfect
story, and Superman lends some time-travel help to enable him to complete
his book, The Super Mystery.
Story: “Jimmy Olsen’s Super-Pet” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman, Krypto (last chronological appearance in flashback in
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #30; next appears in SUPERMAN #130; also
appears in flashbacks to indeterminate time; regains his youth in this
story)
Villains: A gang of crooks (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Krypto returns from space to become Jimmy Olsen’s dog-pal,
but old age seems to have befuddled his mind and made him a menace.
Story: “The Amazing Spectacles of Doctor ‘X’” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears, in flashback, in issue
#37)
GS: Superman (next appears, in flashback, in issue #37)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane (between ACTION COMICS #240 / 241),
Perry White (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #240; next appears in SUPERMAN
#122)
Villain: Doctor X (no actual appearance; name only mentioned; first
appearance; dies before this story begins)
Comments: This story takes place from May 6-10.
Shortly after this story Jimmy Olsen and Superman encounter a
tribe of cavemen, attend a Mardi Gras parade, and trap two crooks, as shown
in flashback in issue #37.
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen discovers the secret hideout of the late Doctor
X, a criminal scientist. He appropriates a pair of glasses which
enable him to see the future...including a scene which appears to be his
own death.
Action Comics No. 241
June 1958
Cover: Superman using giant key to open Fortress of Solitude door //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Key To Fort Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Feature Character: Superman (last chronological appearance in flashback
in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #37; next appears in SUPERMAN #122)
GS: Batman (last appearance in BATMAN #116; next appears in DETECTIVE
COMICS #256)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (last chronological appearance,
in flashback, in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #37; next appears in SUPERMAN
#122), Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #29; next
appearance in SUPERMAN #122)
Intro: The Fortress of Solitude (see also issue #261 for previous Fortresses)
Cameo: The Joker (on a giant penny)
Comment: Since the date June 10th appears on page 1 of this story,
and Batman helps Superman celebrate the anniversary of his coming to Earth
in this story, it is reasonable to assume that Kal-El arrived on Earth
within a few days either way of June 10th, which date Clark Kent also celebrates
as his birthday. It is revealed in SUPERMAN #263 that the date of
his arrival on Earth was June 18th.
Superman has established earlier Fortresses of Solitude, as shown
in issue #261 and SUPERMAN #108 (2), but this is the first appearance of
the permanent Arctic Fortress.
Synopsis: Superman regards his Fortress of Solitude in the unexplored
Arctic as a secret place where he can relax and take pride in his collection
of trophies, his interplanetary zoo, and his advanced laboratory.
But an intruder has broken in and left messages for Superman to find, challenging
him to discover his identity. Before long, Superman learns that the
intruder is Batman, who has been playing a practical joke on him in celebration
of the anniversary of Superman’s coming to Earth.
Superman No. 122
July 1958
Cover: Superman and U.S. Army generals watching Sgt. Jones withstand
bazooka blast //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Secret of the Space Souvenirs” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder?
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #241)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #241)
Intro: Two museum curators and a man from 5,000 A.D. (only appearance
for all)
Comment: This story incorrectly states that Atlanteans were only six
inches tall. It is possible that the flying saucer Superman finds
in Atlantis, and the six-inch-tall statue, were the remains of an alien
visitation in ancient Atlantis.
Synopsis: Superman is compelled by a mental command from the 50th Century
to place souvenirs in a time capsule from planets or moons that will spell
out his name as an acrostic: Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, Earth, Rhea, Mars,
Ariel, and Neptune.
Story: “Superman In the White House” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #29), Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #241),
Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #3)
Cameo: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln
Synopsis: Perry White assigns Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen
to write biographies of famous presidents for the Daily Planet’s Patriots’
Day edition. Jimmy falls asleep and dreams of Superman becoming president,
and, when he awakes, decides to write it up as a story of a great possible
future president. Clark Kent reminds Jimmy that only native-born
Americans can be elected president of the U.S.A., and Superman was born
on Krypton.
Story: “The Super-Sergeant” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #3)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen, Perry White (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #3)
Intro: Sgt. Jones (only appearance)
Villains: Two spies (first and only appearance)
Comment: In this story, Clark Kent does a short stint in the U.S. Army.
Synopsis: When a freak accident duplicates Superman’s powers in the
body of Private Jones of the U.S. Army, he allows Jones to retain the powers
long enough to make enemy spies think that Superman has the power to equip
every soldier in the army with his great abilities.
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane No. 3
July-August 1958
Cover: Lois Lane and Super-Baby //Curt Swan / Al Plastino
Story: “The Rainbow Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #122)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #122)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN #122 / 123), Perry
White (last appearance in SUPERMAN #122; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #30)
Other Character: Professor Jason (last appearance in issue #1; last
appearance)
Villain: A crook (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Superman gives Lois a mirror made, unknowingly, from a chunk
of Red Kryptonite. It causes him to give off a rainbow aura whenever
she opens it, which threatens to expose his secret identity.
Story: “The Man Who Was Clark Kent’s Double” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Intro: Robin Hood (Van Norton, alias Mark Benton; first and only appearance;
not to be confused with the historical Robin Hood)
Synopsis: Lois Lane meets and falls in love with Mark Benton, a double
for Clark Kent who is manly where Clark is squeamish. Superman, concerned
that Lois might end up an old maid, tries to facilitate the romance.
But Lois is suspicious of Mark, and, prying, finds out he is really wealthy
Van Norton and “Robin Hood”, who gives away money to charity. Angered
by her curiosity, Norton breaks off the engagement.
Story: “Lois Lane and the Babe of Steel” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #242)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #242; also appears as Superbaby)
Intro: Prof. Winston, Cyrus Foster, king of Syvania (only appearance
for all)
Villain: A crooked amusement park owner (first and only appearance)
Comment: The orphanage in which baby Kal-El briefly stayed is named
as the Bright Home Orphanage in this story, and is revealed as being moved
from Smallville to Metropolis.
Synopsis: Superman makes a time-trip back to the time of his childhood,
causing Superbaby to appear in his place in the present. Lois Lane
hopes to use him to her advantage, but it winds up being to her disadvantage.
Action Comics No. 242
July 1958
Cover: Superman vs. Brainiac //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Duel In Space” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #3; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #95; origin retold
in flashback)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #3)
Intro: Prof. Kim-Da (last chronological appearance in WORLD OF KRYPTON
#2; last chronological appearance), Kandorians (last chronological appearance
in SUPERMAN #141; next appear in issue #245)
Villains: Brainiac (first appearance; last chronological appearance
in SUPERMAN #141 flashback; next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS
LANE #17), Koko (first appearance; last chronological appearance in SUPERBOY
#106 (2); next appears in ACTION COMICS #275)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight aliens from Xlym in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #95.
Synopsis: In outer space, Superman encounters a flying saucer carrying
Brainiac, a green-skinned super-villain who miniaturizes whole cities--including
New York, Paris, Rome, and Metropolis--and places them in bottles aboard
his spacecraft, ostensibly for the purpose of enlarging them on his homeworld,
which he says has been depopulated by a plague. Superman cannot penetrate
Brainiac’s force-barrier, but he arranges to be in Metropolis when it is
miniaturized so that he can be taken within his foe’s flying saucer.
Superman investigates another bottle city, is surprised to find that he
loses his powers within it, and soon learns that it is the miniaturized
Kryptonian city of Kandor. Professor Kim-Da, Jor-El’s college roommate,
consults with Superman and helps him break out of the bottle while Brainiac
sleeps in suspended animation. The miniaturized Superman is able
to use a device of Brainiac’s to restore and return the captive cities,
but only one charge remains, which can either enlarge him or Kandor, not
both. Superman decides to enlarge Kandor, but Kim-Da, in a spacecraft,
hits an activator button and enlarges Superman. Kim-Da tells Superman
that he could not allow Earth to be deprived of its greatest super-hero.
Superman flies away from Brainiac’s saucer with the bottle-city of Kandor,
and installs it safely in his Fortress of Solitude.
Superman No. 123
August 1958
Cover: Super-Girl towing train while Superman supports trestle //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Girl of Steel” (Chapter 1; 10 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Lost Super-Powers” (6 pages)
Chapter 3: “Superman’s Return To Krypton” (10 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Dick Sprang
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#95; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #30)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS
#101 for chronology), Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #3; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #30), Lois Lane
(between ACTION COMICS #242 / 243)
Intro: Super-Girl (dies in this story; not to be confused with Supergirl,
who debuts in ACTION COMICS #252), Colonel Jax-Tor (no appearance; name
only mentioned; first appearance; dies before this story begins), an archaeologist,
a magic totem, agents of the Krypton Bureau of Investigation (only appearance
for all)
GS: Kryptonians
Villains: Kil-Lor (first appearance; dies in this story), two crooks
(first and only appearance)
Comment: Jor-El comments that Superman seems “vaguely familiar!
Did we meet before?” He may be remembering his earlier meeting with
Superboy, when he was a teenager, in SUPERBOY #121. However, he does
not seem to remember Superman when they meet later in SUPERMAN #141.
It is obvious that Jor-El and Lara couldn’t simply fly back to
Krypton. They probably retrieved the space capsule, propelled it
back towards Krypton at super-speed, and made a successful splashdown in
a Kryptonian sea.
Synopsis: Superman and Jimmy Olsen rescue a trapped archaeologist,
who gratefully gives Jimmy a magic Indian totem that can grant three wishes.
Jimmy’s first wish is for a super-girl to appear with powers equal to Superman,
to become his companion. A lovely blonde Super-Girl comes into existence
and attempts to become Superman’s crime-fighting and romantic partner,
but her inexperience causes her to blunder time and again. Finally,
she saves Superman from Kryptonite, but gains a fatal dose of Kryptonite
poisoning herself. Jimmy cancels out her wish, allowing her to disappear
without suffering a painful death.
Jimmy then publishes a true account of the Super-Girl incident.
Two crooks read the story, break into his apartment, and make a wish for
Superman to lose his powers. He does, but Jimmy helps him cover up
his power-loss until they can find the crooks and cancel out the wish,
restoring Superman’s might.
The final wish Jimmy makes is that Superman could meet his parents
on Krypton, but he misspells the word “meet” as “mate”. Accordingly,
Superman is sent back in time to Krypton before his parents married, sees
them mistakely labelled as traitors in league with the would-be dictator
Kil-Lor (in reality, Jor-El had become an agent of the Krypton Bureau of
Investigation, but his controller has recently died and cannot confirm
his story) and exiled with him into space in a suspended animation capsule.
Superman materializes from a phantom state, puts the capsule on an asteroid
where all of them gain super-powers, and battles Kil-Lor himself.
Kil-Lor perishes when he attempts to make a crude atomic explosion and,
instead, creates Kryptonite. A distant exposure to the rays restores
a KBI hand-imprint on Jor-El’s palm, and he realizes he can now verify
his story. He asks Lara to marry him, and she agrees. Both
return to Krypton, and Superman is whisked back to Earth a moment after
he left it. Jimmy tells him that the magic totem will not work for
another century.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 30
Cover: Superman using heat-vision to burn robe Jimmy Olsen has given
him //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Son of Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Jack Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN #123)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #123)
Comment: This story takes place on and slightly before June 17.
Synopsis: Superman adopts Jimmy Olsen as his legal son. Both
Jimmy and Superman are overjoyed at first, but, before long, the Man of
Steel begins acting curtly and nastily towards Jimmy. Unable to please
his foster-father, Jimmy asks that the trial adoption be annuled.
Directly afterward, Superman takes Jimmy to the Fortress of Solitude and
tells him why he behaved so badly towards him: his Fortress computer predicted,
“On June 17, Superman will destroy his own son!” But since the computer’s
prediction was verbal, Jimmy deduces that it really meant Superman would
destroy a sun he had created, which has since burned out. Superman
finds that this is the case, and, after returning from his mission, apologizes
to Jimmy. Jimmy accepts that he won’t be Superman’s “son”, but will
be his greatest pal.
Story: “The Cub Who Cried Wolf” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #3; next appears in ACTION COMICS #243)
Villains: Rocky, Knuckles, and their accomplice (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen appears to be having hallucinations, and when
they cause Superman to make one too many false-alarm trips, he decides
to stop answering Jimmy’s signals.
Story: “Superman’s Greatest Enemy” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Dick Sprang
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #243)
Villains: Scalpel Logan, Houdini Watson (first and only appearance
for both)
Synopsis: A Superman impostor convinces Jimmy that Clark Kent has sold
out to the underworld.
Action Comics No. 243
August 1958
Cover: Lois Lane and lion-headed Superman in front of Superman poster
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Lady and the Lion” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #30; next appears in SUPERMAN #124)
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #30; both next appear in SUPERMAN #124),
Lois Lane (between SUPERMAN #123 / 124)
Intro: Mr. Barney, a lion tamer, Jim and two other members of a film
crew (first and only appearance)
Villain: Circe of 1958 (first and only appearance)
Comment: Although the modern-day Circe’s ancestress may indeed have
had an “evolution serum”, later stories make it clear she did indeed have
magical powers. However, despite Superman’s conjecture, it is highly
doubtful that the original Circe came from Krypton.
Synopsis: Superman is slipped some evolution serum in a drink by Circe,
who claims to be a descendant of the original Circe, wants Superman for
her own, and proclaims that he will turn into an animal if he does not
return for the antidote. By the next day, Superman has gained a lion’s
head and paws. He cannot function as Clark Kent, but he manages to
keep up his Superman duties (though the world soon learns of his condition).
Eventually, Superman discovers an antidote to his lion-headedness in a
Kryptonian text in Kandor, and cures himself.
Superman No. 124
September 1958
Cover: Wounded Superman, Black Knight, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Sword” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman?
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #243)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (becomes the Black Knight for this
story only), Jimmy Olsen (last appearance for both in ACTION COMICS #243;
both next appear in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE #4), Lois Lane (last
appearance in ACTION COMICS #243)
Villains: Bull Mathews and his partner (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: To trap gangster Bull Mathews, Perry White pretends to be
the Black Knight, an outlaw from Camelot whose magic sword can wound Superman
himself.
Story: “Mrs. Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Superman
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #4)
Intro: Chief Mawmba and his tribe (only appearance for all)
Villains: The Green Hand Gang (no appearance; name only mentioned;
first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s helicopter is knocked out of the
sky by a Kryptonite meteor, forcing them down on a small, uncharted volcanic
isle. Since the Kryptonite meteor’s dust is being spurted like an
umbrella over the island, Clark believes he is to be marooned there for
life. Accordingly, he reveals his secret identity to Lois and proposes
marriage. She accepts. Before the chieftain of the tribe living on
the island can conduct the ceremony, the meteor falls through a crevice
into the Earth, and Superman is able to leave the island again. As
Clark Kent, he convinces an angry Lois that it was just a hoax and he is
not Superman. However, when they return to America, Lois sees a headline
about the Green Hand Gang being captured. Since the gang was after
Lois for revenge, she thinks that the island crash was a plot of Superman’s
to keep her out of danger, and falls in love with him again.
Story: “The Steeplejack of Steel” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #4)
Villains: Bart Benson, Tom B. Oliver (first and only appearance for
both)
Synopsis: In order to expose a crooked construction racket, Superman
goes undercover as a steeplejack.
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane No. 4
September-October 1958
Cover: Superman bringing gifts to Lois Lane, who spurns him //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Courtship of Lois Lane” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #124)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #124)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen, Perry White (last appearance for
both in SUPERMAN #124)
Intro: Prof. Z. Parker (only appearance)
Comment: This story takes place on April 1-2.
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen hopes to get Clark Kent to marry Lois Lane by
playing a subliminal tape ordering him to propose to Lois, not knowing
he’s getting Superman to pop the question, too.
Story: “Lois Lane, Working Girl” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (both next appear in
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #31)
Intro: Ron Harris, J. Brant (only appearance for both)
Villains: Joe Hogg, Maisie (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Lois Lane gets a job as an actress, which calls for her to
play a working girl, which causes her to take a job as a pretzel bender.
Story: “Annie Oakley Gets Her (Super)man” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #31)
GS: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #31)
Villains: Leftie and his partner (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: While at a dude ranch, a concussion causes Lois to think
she is Annie Oakley, and that Clark Kent is Jesse James.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 31
September 1958
Cover: Superman, Jimmy Olsen, and wax dummy of Jimmy in ice block //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Elastic Lad” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #4; becomes Elastic Lad for the first time in this story)
Intro and origin: Elastic Lad (Jimmy Olsen)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE
#4)
Villains: Silky Smith and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen gains stretching powers after a bottle of liquid
from space shatters and splashes on him. He flees the Daily Planet,
joins a circus, and is given a costume and the name of “The Elastic Lad”.
Gangster Silky Smith recognizes Jimmy, pretends to be a scientist, and
exploits him for his criminal uses, pretending to have the antidote to
Jimmy’s elastic condition. Eventually Elastic Lad helps Superman
capture Smith and finds that Kryptonite radiation is the antidote to his
elasticity.
Story: “The Mad Hatter of Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Supporting Characters: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #4), Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #4; next appears in ACTION COMICS #244)
Intro: Mr. Jones (only appearance)
Villains: Duke Maddox, various crooks (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: A hat collector pulls a fast one on Jimmy by telling him
the hats magically confer the powers of their famous owners on the wearer...except
that, when Jimmy wears them, the tale seems to come true.
Story: “The Boy Who Hoaxed Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman (next appearance in ACTION COMICS #244)
Supporting Character: Perry White (next appears in ACTION COMICS #244)
Intro: Professor Dekker, Miss Jenkins (only appearance for both)
Synopsis: After getting a criticism session from Perry White, Jimmy
Olsen contrives a hoax. He pretends to be frozen in suspended animation,
to be revived 1,000 years hence, but in reality lets a dummy of himself
be frozen and becomes a Daily Planet reporter under the false identity
of Gilbert Knox. Superman sees through Jimmy’s plot and bollixes
it.
Action Comics No. 244
September 1958
Cover: Superman on undersea throne, repairing submarine with heat-vision
//Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super-Merman of the Sea” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: George Klein
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #31; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #96)
Supporting Characters: Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Lois Lane (all between
SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #31 / 32)
Intro: The undersea Fortress of Solitude
Villains: Vul-Kor, Lya-La (first and only appearance for both)
Comment: Shortly after this story Superman teams with Batman and Robin
to fight creatures from another planet in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #96.
Synopsis: Superman pretends to play along with the scheme of an alien
merman invader and his daughter to turn Earth into a water-world, only
to convince him that he and his people would not be safe on Earth.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen No. 32
October 1958
Cover: Superman, policeman, and “Jovian” Jimmy Olsen //Curt Swan /
Stan Kaye
Story: “The Super Nose For News” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (last appearance in ACTION COMICS #244)
GS: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #96)
Supporting Characters: Lois Lane, Perry White (last appearance for
both in ACTION COMICS #244), Professor Potter (last appearance in issue
#28)
Cameo: Pinnochio
Villain: Edgar the Eel (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: Professor Potter accidentally gives Jimmy Olsen a nose-spray
that makes his nose grow every time he tells a lie, like Pinocchio.
Story: “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Superman” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen
GS: Superman
Intro: Jerry Olsen (Jimmy’s cousin; only appearance)
Villains: The Earl and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Comment: This story quotes lyrics from Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little
Sixteen”, Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock”, and Jerry Lee Lewis’s
“Great Balls of Fire”.
Synopsis: Jimmy Olsen substitutes for his cousin, singing star Jerry
“Rock ‘n’ R’”Olsen, while the latter is ailing. But whenever he does
a gig, Jimmy inexplicably causes Superman to go into a dancing frenzy,
and the underworld capitalizes on it.
Story: “The Jimmy Olsen From Jupiter” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Ray Burnley
Feature Character: Jimmy Olsen (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #5)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #245)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL
FRIEND, LOIS LANE #5), Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #245)
Intro: Jovians (natives of Jupiter), Vince Regan, Barry Brand, Edmund
Willis, Dr. Wilmington (only appearance for all)
Villains: Jeff Wacker and other crooks (first and only appearance for
all)
Synopsis: To help out Jovians who need to know if they can survive
Earthlike conditions, Jimmy agrees to be physically transformed into a
Jovian for a week. The transformation gives him mind-reading powers,
and he learns that Superman is Clark Kent, but Superman convinces Jimmy
that Clark was just fantasizing about being the Man of Steel.
Action Comics No. 245
October 1958
Cover: Zak-Kul watching Lois Lane shrink Superman //Curt Swan / Stan
Kaye
Story: “The Shrinking Superman” (12 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY
OLSEN #32; next appears in ADVENTURE COMICS #253)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #32; next appears in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #97)
GS: Kandorians (last appearance in issue #242; next appear in WORLD’S
FINEST COMICS #100)
Villains: Zak-Kul, two crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Comment: Lois Lane marries for the first time in this story, though
her marriage to Zak-Kul is soon annulled.
Shortly after this story Superman appears with Robin in flashback
in ADVENTURE COMICS #253 and then teams with Batman and Robin to fight
the Condor Gang in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #97.
Synopsis: Zak-Kul, a renegade scientist of Kandor and double for Superman,
enlarges himself while Superman and Lois are in the Fortress of Solitude
and deceives Lois into using a shrinking ray on the real Superman.
Taking Superman’s place in the outside world, Zak-Kul even woos Lois and
marries her, but she soon learns her folly. Superman escapes from
Kandor, enlarges himself again, and sends Zak-Kul back to the bottle city.
Lois’s marriage to the false “Superman” is annulled.
Superman No. 125
November 1958
Cover: Superman exerting his “new power” //Curt Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Lois Lane’s Super-Dream” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST COMICS
#97)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in WORLD’S FINEST
COMICS #97)
Synopsis: After falling off a second-story ledge, Lois Lane has a dream
while convalescing that Superman has given her a blood transfusion, she
has acquired super-powers and become a heroine named Power Girl, and her
nebbish partner Powerman (alias Clark Kent) destroys her career.
Story: “Clark Kent’s College Days” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Artist: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Superman (also appears in flashback, in which episode
he changes his name from Superboy to Superman; see chronology under Superboy’s
Interim Appearances)
Intro: Students at Metropolis University, Professor Maxwell (only appearance)
Synopsis: Clark Kent gets an invitation to a reunion of his college
graduating class, and recalls how, during his sophomore year, a professor
tried to learn whether or not Clark Kent was really Superboy--only to fail
because Clark began to think of himself as Superman.
Story: “Superman’s Mystery Power” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Jerry Coleman?
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #5)
Supporting Character: Lois Lane (next appears in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #5)
Villains: Various crooks (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: The explosion of an alien space-ship takes away Superman’s
powers, but leaves him with the power to project a tiny duplicate of himself
with all his former powers.
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane No. 5
November-December 1958
Cover: Superman and fat Lois Lane seeing her skinny reflection in funhouse
mirror //Curt Swan / Al Plastino
Story: “Superman’s Greatest Sacrifice” (9 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (last appearance in SUPERMAN #125)
GS: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN #125)
Supporting Character: Perry White (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #32)
Intro: Dolores Drake (only appearance)
Villains: Jarvis, a gatekeeper, the Flynn Mob (first and only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Lois Lane discovers that the wealthy and mysterious Dolores
Drake is a double for her, and is dismayed when Dolores appears to be wooing
Superman in her place--both of them not knowing that the Superman who responds
to Dolores is also a phony.
Story: “The Girl of 100 Costumes” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Al Plastino
Feature Character: Lois Lane
GS: Superman
Supporting Character: Perry White
Intro: Joyce Van Ressler, Thelma Carr, Hank Hunter (only appearance
for all)
Synopsis: Lois Lane gets a trunkful of exotic costumes and tries to
show them off before Superman, without much luck in doing so.
Story: “The Fattest Girl In Metropolis” (8 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer: Otto Binder
Artist: Kurt Schaffenberger
Feature Character: Lois Lane (next appears in ACTION COMICS #247)
GS: Superman (next appears in ACTION COMICS #246)
Supporting Characters: Perry White (next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL,
JIMMY OLSEN #33), Jimmy Olsen (between SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #32
/ 33)
Intro: Professor Colby (only appearance)
Villain: An assassin (first and only appearance), “Swag” Swanson (first
appearance; dies in this story)
Comments: “Swag” Swanson is probably named after Superman artist Curt
Swan, and the “Schaff’s Candy” reference on page 5, panel 3 is a reference
to artist Kurt Schaffenberger.
Synopsis: To keep a killer from recognizing Lois Lane after she witnesses
a gangland rubout, Superman contrives to have a scientist make her obese
with a ray.
Action Comics No. 246
November 1958
Cover: Superman, a scientist and his wife, and a baby in a rocket //Curt
Swan / Stan Kaye
Story: “Krypton On Earth” (13 pages)
Editor: Mort Weisinger
Writer:
Penciller: Wayne Boring
Inker: Stan Kaye
Feature Character: Superman (last appearance in SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND,
LOIS LANE #5; next appears in SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #33; also appears
as baby Kal-El in flashback; see Comment under MORE FUN COMICS #101 for
chronology)
Supporting Characters: Jor-El, Lara (in flashback; see Comment under
MORE FUN COMICS #101 for chronology)
Villains: Jonas T. “Swindler” Smith and his gang (first and only appearance
for all)
Comment: The cover is inconsistent with the story, in which actors
playing Jor-El and Lara reenact the sending of Kal-El to Earth in a rocket.
Synopsis: A replica of Kryptonopolis is built outside of Metropolis
and Superman is invited to the opening ceremonies, not knowing it is part
of a diamond-smuggling scheme by con man “Swinder” Smith.